


Blue Lips

by LacePrince



Category: Free!
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Anxiety, Dark, Drugging, Dystopia, Emotional Manipulation, Hand Jobs, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Semi-Public Sex, Sex, Smut, Soldiers, Torture, Voilence, mako/haru and sou/rin are already active as soon as the story starts, makoto and haru beat up a innocent vending machine
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-21
Updated: 2016-12-21
Packaged: 2018-06-09 18:13:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 74,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6917827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LacePrince/pseuds/LacePrince
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Makoto's hands are soft and warm with the promise of security, Haru's vision flashing with hot scarlet as liquid fear drips down his neck.<br/>"You can trust me, Haru," Makoto says in a soft hiss, his hands attempting to reach Haru and pull him into a hug Haru knows will be as soft and as warm as his hands. If Haru could've said something in that moment, he would've told Makoto that he already did trust him. <br/>Haru always had and always would trust Makoto. Haru would never dare put trust in anyone else other then him. <br/>Haru closed his eyes and accepted gentle death as Makoto found him. Though, death would never stay long with Makoto around.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Seize

**Author's Note:**

> ok another fanfic yeah i dont know
> 
> btw its me angryfemale. ya know pressure and that junk... ok so i went through gender shit a while ago and i started identifying as male sometime around last year. I only realized like yesterday you can change your username so?? yay
> 
> Slright so heres another shitty au i keep pumping these things out. There is an overwelming lack of explination of the background so ill explain it here so no one is confused  
> Basically Japan has been destroyed by diseases, and once the disease kind of dies off there arent many healthy people left. While the world rebuilds itself, a sort of government/monarchy type deal called Iwatobi takes control of Japan. A lot of people don't like this because Iwatobi becomes unnecessarily cruel. To combat this notation, someone comes up with the great idea of creating 'super soliders' who can keep the peace. This is Makoto, Rin, Haru, Nagisa and Rei. They not only fuck shit up for the rebels, but they also serve as these kind of cool role models for kids and they need to keep this big public image. This is where Samezuka comes in, a rebel organization who want to get rid of the solider program as they've realized the soldiers are the ones who are basically keeping most of Japan in love with Iwatobi !
> 
> So yeah thats the background. I should've explained it more but (dhrug emoji)  
> So a few more things before i start. Theres probably parts of this that are really shitty because i wrote most of this at 5 in the morning.  
> Also there is going to be some purposfull-ooc-ness. Especially in Makoto, who is going to be more prone to anger then his is in canon. Haru and Nagisa are a little more cruel, and Rei is more quiet and withdrawn. This is all purposeful i guess so they fit the tortured soul thing a little better. Makoto's more aggressive also because he's the one whos supposed to wreck shit up so iwatobi pumps the poor child up with like a ton of testosterone or something. 
> 
> yeah ok!! thats all i gotta say!! enjoy !!! thanks for stopping by!!

Makoto trudged down the metal, ever boring hallways that he, unfortunately, knew all too well- gnawing the stick of a long-gone lollipop between his lips. It was Tuesday, his least favorite day. Well, it was his least favorite day starting right now because he was being put on another undercover assignment, and undercover assignments were his least favorite. Sure, he was good at it, but the anxiety in Makoto’s brain that Iwatobi somehow forgot to get rid never left him alone. The word 'anxiety' didnt quite describe the panic he felt in the situations where his head turned into a ticking time bomb. Undercover missions were where his time bomb started to scream. 

Not only that, but Haruka was going in there too. 

Makoto cringed at the thought, reminding him of what the next twelve hours could consist of. A low hiss passed his grit teeth as he continued forward. 

He strode forward until he reached a pair of doors, shielded by a pair of guards who were just as man-made looking as the doors behind them. Makoto used to wonder if he looked as fake as they did, their perfect features, their pale skin. Everything was so fake and programmed about the people who worked here, and as Iwatobi’s perfect super-soldier, Makoto assumed he had to look to most fake out of them all.

The both men saluted him, and all Makoto did to acknowledge this was snort and gesture wordlessly with his head for them to move. He was not in the mood. He was.. Uncharacteristically irritated. That fact irritated him more. The two guards were quickly stepping out of Makoto’s way, probably less out of respect and more so for the fear that they had upset him and were afraid to be crushed by the towering giant Makoto had grown into.  

Makoto bent forward a little as he stepped into the doorway- his forehead smacking into the doorframe. From inside he heard a snicker of laughter as he scowled- rubbing the spot of impact. 

The gaurds closed the door behind him, Makoto watching to make sure before turning around to spot the three other men. 

Rei was hunched over his funny computer-like device, pressing buttons and biting his lip all the while as if he was pleasuring a woman- not touching a screen. The light reflecting from the screen made his glasses flare, perfectly disguising eyes -that were probably squinting in focus- to make Rei seem more professional than he really was. Though, his fingers were long and skillful, and from the looks of it he knew exactly what he was doing as always. “Makoto-san,” Rei stated without breaking eye contact from his device, “You’re a little late.”

“Yeah, sorry,” Makoto apologized roughly, “I got distracted,” He flicked the lolipop stick between his lips, and then in moments it was ripped from his mouth.

Makoto, recovering from the mini-heart attack he was given, his head shot around the room until he found Nagisa’s frame hunched over the stick like he was mourning a lost family member. “Where’s the candy?” He whined, he sounded so heartbroken Makoto felt bad, “You tricked me.”

“Sorry,” Makoto apologized sheepishly, “I took the last one, too.”

“You’re such a fatty, Makoto!” Nagisa cried, crossing his arms angrily as he let the stick scatter to the floor. Makoto frowned at the loss. “I haven’t had any candy in months, and you have the nerve to take the last one?” Nagisa growled- “If I leave the mess hall for two seconds you take all my food ,now this?”

Makoto was about to put up a defense, but a cool voice echoed from somewhere else in the room.

Just like Makoto held the lollipop stick in his mouth- Haruka held a cigarette, smoke puffing from his lips as he effortlessly talked around the intrusion. Haru’s pale skin and eerily blue eyes stuck out like a sore thumb in the dark room- glowing much like Rei’s screen was. “Give him a break, he’s probably heavier than ten of you, Nagisa.” Haruka took the cigarette from his lips to blow out a long, smooth puff of smoke- Makoto could smell it, and though he normally disposed the smell, it felt like it was caressing his senses because it came from Haru’s soft, soft lips... “Makoto.” Haru called firmly, very aware that Makoto was lost in the feeling of bliss. He waited for that distinct widening of Makoto’s eyes to continue. “Is that really why you were late? Getting candy should’ve only taken you a second.”

“Getting two should’ve only taken you two seconds,” Nagisa sassed from somewhere else in the room. Makoto heard the obnoxious slurping from a soda straw that was no doubt coming from Rei. 

“Nagisa! It was the last one!” Makoto whined, “I would’ve gotten you one, but I was hungry!”

“You’re always hungry,” Nagisa moaned- covering his face with his hands, marching over to Rei to snatch the soda cup from his hand and forcefully throwing it in the trashcan. 

“Makoto, focus on me,” Haru snarled, clearly irritated with the nonsense around him- his eyes intense like a focused predator. Like he was going to eat Makoto alive. Makoto hoped he did. “Why were you late?” He wasn’t asking anymore. It was a demand. 

“I, um,” Makoto stammered, before strutting up to Haru. The skinny man was propped up on the ledge on the wall- like some sort of cat- his legs were crossed over each other and his hand fiddling with his cigar.

Makoto took it from his lips, but it was clear Haru was allowing him to- Haru would’ve bit off his hand if he wasn't done with it- “I should be asking you why you have a cigarette,” Makoto asked, pushing the cigarette butt into the ledge- rubbing it out with a dying hiss. Haru never broke eyecontact with him, and the two just stared at each other as Makoto murdered his still smoking roll. Haru’s eyes were especially beautiful, always so threatening- so sharp and unwavering. “Especially when you’re inside, gee Haru, I might have to report you.”

Haru’s eyes flickered with interest, and he licked his lips. Makoto could only help but grin. He knew how to get to him.

“You guys are gross!” Nagisa chided from the other side of the room, “Can’t we get to the mission?” 

Rei huffed at the mention of the mission, glancing at Nagisa’s arms which were wrapping around his neck like pale snakes, “Give me a moment,” He replied professionally.

“You’re playing the bird game, Rei.” Nagisa replied flatly- his voice going uncharacteristically deep, he was unimpressed.

“I know that.” Rei said simply, not a hint of edge to his tone. 

“Stop playing the bird game.”

“I almost beat my high score.” 

“..Can I go next?” 

Makoto snickered under his breath- looking away from Nagisa, only to feel his body freeze in remembrance that Haruka’s intense glare was inches away from Makoto’s own eyes. Haru's eyes were sharp enough to cut diamond, the blue in them opposite to that, instead one look into the solid vastest of the flattened shades of blue swimming pools made calamity curl into Makoto's gut upon gazing into them. 

“You put out my cigarette,” Haru stated, his voice taught. 

“You let me,” Makoto sneered as he said this- his lips raising in a smile- and that’s when he felt Haru’s teeth sink into his lip. 

Makoto let out only the softest of moans as Haru’s lips slid against his own, his warm,skinny lips melting into Makoto’s own. They were like two pieces of a puzzle, perfectly fitting together- and the two tried to keep down the soft wet noises that kissing just happened to make so that Nagisa didn't throw something at them. But, for now it seemed he was caught up with Rei- so Haru apparently felt bold enough to grab Makoto by the collar of his jacket and pull him close enough to rake his fingernails up his back. Makoto would’ve yelped if not for Haru’s lips pressing against his own- muffling whatever noise he decided to make. The room blurred with heat, and Makoto felt Haru’s tongue hug his. 

Makoto jolted as suddenly his muscles turned to jelly within moments, and he collapsed to the floor with a loud slam. 

Sometimes he hated how much Haru knew him. Because that weak spot in the back of his neck, right above his hairline was some glitch in his body, whenever it was squeezed just the right way, Makoto lost all feeling in his body. Somehow Haru, the little bastard, had figured that out.

Haru slid off the ledge and sat on Makoto’s back- not exactly pining him, but exerting dominance over Makoto. No one could really pin Makoto down, but, he allowed Haru to. Like how Haru allowed him to put out his cigarette. “Do you know how long it’ been since I had a smoke, Makoto?” 

Makoto still couldn’t find function in his body- the only thing that processed through his brain was how madly in love he was with Haruka. “Hmm?” Haru reached forward to pinch his nose hard, and Makoto shook his head to pull away.

“A month,” Makoto replied, or at least tried to, but it just came out as slurred nonsense. Makoto flushed bright red with embarrassment.

Haru laughed coldly, which was followed by Nagisa pointing and laughing.

“He did the thing!” Nagisa laughed, and Makoto had just enough energy to roll his eyes and smile coldly. Feeling quickly started to come back, and he started to lift himself in a push-up like fashion, Haru riding ontop his back. “Haru, get him for eating the lollipop and not saving me some!”

At first, Makoto was pretty sure Haru wasn’t going to do it, but he did, and Makoto let out an aggravated scream before collapsing to the ground again, his arms twitching. 

He felt drool trickle down his lips and he burned in embarrassment and irritation for not being able to wipe it away.

Nagisa lit up in evil, malicious laughter- deriving pleasure from other people’s pain- and though Haru was pretty damn demonic, the real devil in the room was hidden behind a body of chubby cheeks and bouncy blonde curls.

“Alright,” Rei uttered under his breath, tapping his finger against the screen of his device loudly, and suddenly an image was being projected on the screen. The bird game was still running, which from what Makoto could tell, it was a pixel baby bird that was trying to fly, and to get it to fly you had to eat these things, but Makoto only saw a flash of the screen before Rei changed tabs. 

It was their information, for the most part. They always went over this stuff before they did missions, and Makoto kind of hated it. It made him feel consiuos of his weight, and even though that was sort of his thing- to be huge- he felt Nagisa’s lips raise in a smirk once he read Makoto’s updated weight. He’d gained ten pounds. Makoto groaned and slammed his forehead against the floor he layed on. 

  * _(TACHIBANA) MAKOTO_
  * _AGED 27, 6’6 FEET, 265 LBS_
  * _PROGRAM CAPTAIN_
  * _CORRECTION: 0 TIME(S)_



 

“Gee, Makoto, you really are getting fat,” Nagisa crooned, “Maybe it wouldn't kill you to give me your lollipop next time.” Still with the lollipop thing.. Jeez...

“Quiet,” Haru demanded, snapping his fingers to tell Rei to keep going.

Rei did just that, swiping his finger over to show the next set of information. Of course, there was a whole hell of a lot more information on them, but, they didn't have to dig into it so they never did.

 

  * _(NANASE) HARUKA_
  * _AGED 27, 5’8 FEET ,  120 LBS_
  * _PROGRAM CO-CAPTAIN , UNDERCOVER SPECIALIST_
  * _CORRECTION : 32 TIMES_



 

“See that’s the way to do it,” Nagisa chimed, “Haru’s lost five pounds!”

“Why are you so concerned about weight, Nagisa?” Makoto chided, and he shrugged slyly, shooting a glare at Makoto’s thick shoulders.

“Though his need for resets isn’t getting any better,” Rei said softly, tapping his chin, and Makoto felt Haru tense , if only for a moment.

 

  * _(HAZUKI) NAGISA_
  * _AGED 24, 5’6, 115 LBS_
  * _SNIPER_
  * _CORRECTION: 7 TIMES_



 

“See, that’s the way to do it! Perfect weight, and my correction times are much better!” Nagisa chirped, gesturing to the board, and Haru grunted angrily.

“Now now, Nagisa, that’s a sensitive topic! You can’t just say that!” Rei scolded, shaking his finger like an angry parent. 

“I have zero corrections,” Makoto sassed, and Nagisa’s neck literally snapped in his direction, his eyes narrow. 

“That’s because you’re too stupid to panic!”

“Do you remember when they told me I was paranoid, Nagisa? I’m the most unstable on the team!” Makoto snapped back, and he really had no idea why he was so insistent on fighting Nagisa’s antics today. Nagisa’s eyes sparkled though, intrigued completely by the situation. Rei put his head in his hands, his body rattling with a deep sigh.

“Can you two stop?” Haru hissed, “Our corrections don’t matter. Let’s keep going.” Haru crossed his legs, sitting crissed-crossed on Makoto’s back , which told Makoto he wasn’t getting up anytime soon.

Rei nodded in conclusion, and he swiped to the next screen, which was his own information.

 

  * _(RYUGAZAKI) REI_
  * _AGED 23, 5’10 , 100 LBS_
  * _HACKER_
  * _CORRECTION: 10 TIMES_



“OOh, Rei-chan, someone’s gotten another correction!” Nagisa crooned, poking the younger male’s buttons- literally. 

“I don’t know why you think it’s okay to joke about corrections!” Rei snapped, and pursed his lips teasingly.

“Oh yeah, I remember, we were at lunch and you got like this really bad nose bleed-” Nagisa continued, Rei’s mouth just opening in shock, “I didn’t think a nosebleed would call for a reset- gee Rei-” Nagisa was going to continue, but like a flash of lightening Haru was off Makoto- pushing his fingers under Nagisa’s shoulder blades with this relentless malice in his eyes. Nagisa let out a short scream and fell to the floor in a twitching mess of limbs.

It was kind of cool to see someone else get the muscle-relaxation treatment other than himself, and Makoto laughed a little. “That’s enough,” Haru snorted, sneering as Nagisa looked up at him with a glare. Rei was wide eyed, self-consciously rubbing the spot under his nose, and Haru patted his head lovingly, the gesture seeming to calm the youngest immediately. Rei yearned for love from his higherups, clinging to Makoto and Haru like his parents. 

Haru took his seat back on Makoto, watching as Nagisa tried to scramble to his feet- clearly shaken up and not used to the feeling the strange pressure points omitted.  He was panting, leaning on Rei’s desk for support.

“G-Geez, Haru-chan,” Nagisa gasped, hugging his chest with one hand, the other holding him up, “was that necessary?”

“Yes,” Haru replied coldly, “You’re scaring Rei.” Makoto could hear the slight sensitivity in Haru’s tone- he knew what that meant. ‘You’re scaring me’, was what Haru probably meant to say. 

Nagisa glanced at Rei, who was still wiping the space under his nose and looking at his fingers- before stiffening out when he noticed Nagisa was looking at him. 

“Ah, let’s continue with the assignment!” Rei stuttered, and Nagisa pressed his lips together.

“Sorry,” He said softly, and Rei waved his hand.

“It’s all fine! Let’s drop the subject and continue-” 

Just then, the doors were opening with a loud creak that startled both Rei and Makoto. 

“Ah, sir!” Rei called softly, saluting. Nagisa followed suit- and Makoto tried his best salute from the floor as the man walked in. 

The man walking in wore a long coat-tail jacket, though, it was lined with flashes of colorful golds, trimmed with a bright red, that looked more like it was made from ducktape. “Good evening boys!” He called loudly, playing with a long strip of golden hair, that was styled in a relaxed mohawk. “Ah, I see you haven’t reached your assignment yet, why is that?”

“Sorry sir,” Makoto called from the floor, and the man looked at him with a puzzled expression.

“You four act like children,” The man sighed- than, he surveyed Nagisa’s shaking legs and expression- clearly, Nagisa was trying his hardest not to fall to the floor again, and he wasn’t doing a great job of masking his struggling.

“Haruka,” The man said sternly, snapping his fingers and pointing to a spot on the floor. Haru was off Makoto in moments, gracefully standing without a falter in his expression, no sense of shame for what he had done. Makoto followed, climbing to his feet and standing next to Haru- the both of them stiff-shouldered. 

Sasabe was a large, loud man who normally had a dumb grin plastered on his face. He was one of the people in charge of Iwatobi, and, was the leader of the certain soldier project that Makoto and his team of four were crafted from. He was a relatively normal guy, though, he was normally the one to shoot their necks with correction darts if they got out of control and dish out petty punishments. Which was probably why he wasn't all too crazy about Haru. 

“Continue on with the assignment.” Sasabe said firmly, and Rei gulped, nodding obediently. Rei pulled up whatever it was, and the image of something flicked in the blank space in front of them with a push of a button. 

The image was of a grand hall that was painted with golds, and the centerpiece of the place was a big chandelier. It looked like an old style hall that was meant for the rich.

“Ooh!” Nagisa lit up with- the image reflecting off his eyes and making them sparkle, “That’s where they get to go? Lucky you.”

Makoto smiled, honestly a little relieved- until he spotted the flag that had a red shark plastered over it, and he felt a sudden rage explode in his gut. “Is that samezuka?”

Samezuka was the strongest rebel group, and ,frankly, the only one that really mattered. All the other rebel groups were normally lead by rambunctious youngsters and middle aged people who were tired of their day jobs. Samezuka was an intricate, powerful rebel group that even went as far as nearly matching Iwatobi in strength. Samezuka had never attacked them full on ,no, they were too smart for that. They would jab at them socially , turn people against them. Though, somehow, Iwatobi always gained control- thanks to the four super soldiers. Though they had brought down Samezuka many times, they could never pinpoint where their base was. Embarrassingly as well, Samezuka had a handful of victories.  The worst one was about eight years ago when a small team infiltrated the Iwatobi base and stole one of Makoto’s teammates, and, best friends. Matsuoka was what the scientists called him, but Haru and Makoto knew him as Rin. He hadn’t been seen since ,but, he most certainly had been heard from.

Makoto shook his head angrily, and Rei smiled nervously at him. “No way am I going in there!” Makoto shouted firmly, forgetting that the man who was completely in charge of him was in the room, who could easily ask to have all of them euthanized and it would happen without second thought. Haru slapped his cheek lightly to demand silence from it. “Haru, tell them we aren’t-”

“Quiet.” Haru demanded, his fingers hovering over that damn spot on Makoto’s neck. He snorted as Makoto silenced immediately, and he was looking back up at Rei, “Go on.” 

“I know it’s a little.. Major.” Sasabe said, “But we’ve found a breakthrough. It’s some kind of.. Party of sorts. This place will be easy enough to get into, and, Matsuoka will be there.”

Makoto and Haru both jolted in unison, Makoto feeling how Haru trembled in his boots- and he glanced at him to see the way Haru’s eyes expressed so much more emotion than his stiff body had in the past hours. “Rin.” Haru mumbled, testing how the name sounded on his tongue, “Are we going to get him back?” Haru was the last one to see Rin. Or at least he had claimed- claimed that they saw them put something over his mouth to knock him out and Haru couldn’t do anything but hide and watch. He always blamed himself for it. Haru never actually said he blamed himself, but Makoto knew he did. He could always see the guilt in Haru’s eyes when he talked about Rin.

“Yes, or at least, we’re trying to..” Sasabe trailed off, clicking his tongue as Rei flashed to the next image. It was a fraction of a document, and Makoto squinted to try and read the blurry writing. “Not only will Matsuoka be there, but your skilled hacker picked up this fraction of a document in the Samezuka systems which seems to contain some information about you four, and mentions Makoto in specifics.” Rei was blushing behind the counter like someone had confessed love to him- which was a clear giveaway Rei was the 'skilled hacker' Sasabe spoke about- “It says something about being addressed to Yamazaki Sousuke, who Rei also found out is going to be at this place as well.” Sasabe paused, before adding, “I hate to say it , but Matsuoka isn’t our main focus. We have to get this document before it get’s to their base.” Makoto and Haru both let out a labored breath. Jeez, more stress... Makoto almost hoped he didn't see Rin , he didn't even know what he’d do with himself... “And, this Yamazaki fellow has been on our systems before. He’s nearly duplicate to you four. Same systems and everything.” Makoto never knew what Sasabe meant by ‘systems.’ Makoto did not know the extent of his innerworkings and didn't want to. The most he knew was that he was born naturally ,and all four of them had special blocks in their brain that caused corrections and prevented insane thoughts- as displayed by Haruka multiple times. He’d start bleeding from his nose, or he’d start scratching at his head, which was a clear indication that his brain was working too hard to access knowledge it shouldn’t have. Besides that, Makoto couldn’t think of any other way they could be machines.. They were just humans with pretty sweet abilities. Or so it seemed, at least. They had been trained since they were babies, farmed to be the perfect soldiers, so it kind of made sense that they were so generally skilled.  Sasabe continued, clicking his tongue again for Rei to move to the next slide like a dog answering to it’s master. “This is who we’re looking at. He was there when Matsuoka was captured, though didn't seem to take part in that specific attack. He was still rather young.. Anyhow, he’s roughly in his mid twenties now, and is seemingly skilled in combat, like you, Makoto.” 

Makoto gulped as he saw the two pictures- both being old stills of surveillance footage of the day Rin was captured. He seemed young, probably around Makoto’s age at the time, but judging by the doorframe next to him, this guy was at least 6’5. He was huge, Makoto concluded, and though Makoto was huge himself, he still found himself being a little shaken up. 

“We need him, whether he has the document or not.” Sasabe said.

“They take on of ours, we take one of theirs,” Haru responded coldly, and Sasabe snapped his fingers excitedly. 

“That’s the spirit, Haru!” Sasabe chirped, pointing at Haru who acknowledged this statement with a grunt. 

“So If he has it or not, we have to get him,” Nagisa repeated, “Well, you know me!” Nagisa pointed gun fingers to an empty corner of the room- “Bam, bam!”

“Exactly!” Sasabe chimed, pointing at Nagisa, and Nagisa looked genuinely shocked.   
“I get to shoot someone?” Nagisa asked, expression slack, and Sasabe nodded. Nagisa jumped- shouting ‘yes!’ and pumping his fists into the air like an excited child. 

“With a tranquilizer,” Sasabe firmed, and Nagisa still looked just as happy- Nagisa didn't care what he was shooting with as long as it was something. “Now I need you four to come up with some sort of plan. And I know you both very well can.” Sasabe said- snapping his fingers- “Next slide, Rei!”

“Yes sir,” Rei retorted, the next slide being a map. It was a map of the hall from what he could tell- a big, main room with a few smaller rooms to the right. “This room seems to be the room where they’re keeping bags,” Rei evaluated, drawing a red circle around one of the bigger rooms that branched off from the main hall with his finger. “I suppose it’s heavily guarded.” 

“Ah, we didn't even tell you that, and you already know! Smart kid,” Sasabe complimented, hands on his hips, “There's no guarantees that the document will be in there, but, there's a high chance.” Sasabe was stepping forward, attempting to tap the holographic image- though his finger just cut right through it. He tried to be smooth about it, snapping his fingers yet again, because that was a thing this guy just did. “Makoto, Haruka, how efficiently could you dispose of two guards if there was two at this door.”

“Three seconds,” Haru stated coldly,“If we sync up snapping their necks Makoto could easily drag them inside without anyone noticing.” Makoto nodded in agreement, resting his arm on Haru’s shoulder, his elbow on the bony tip of Haru’s shoulder.

“First thing, we have to get you both in,” Sasabe said, “I was originally just going to send Haru in, but I decided this was a job for two. Might involve some combat, and Makoto’s the specialist in violence after all.” Sasabe winked at him, causing Makoto to shyly look at the floor, nibbling on his bottom lip like a scared child- not a professional killing machine. “Rei, do you think you could get their names onto the guest list?”

“What's the name of the place?” Rei asked, “If I know that I’ll have them on it in five.” Sasabe told him, and Rei looked up from his glowing device- “What names do you guys want? Don’t make them obvious.”

“Jessie.” Haru replied smoothly- a small smirk pulling at his lips. Makoto crossed his arms, shooting a glare at Haru.

“I guess i’ll be James. Again.” Makoto jabbed Haru’s side gently, and his boyfriend retorted with a frigid chuckle. “When am I gonna get to be Jessie, huh?” 

“Never.” Haru replied, “Hey, James is pretty cool.”

“Yeah, but Jessie is cooler!” 

“Are you two talking about anime?” Nagisa hissed, as if the very thought of anime chilled him to the bone.

“It’s not an anime!” Makoto defended, “It came in that VHS set Sasabe got me for my birthday.”

“It’s an anime, Makoto,” Haru repled, and Makoto put his head in his hands with a low groan.

“It honestly doesn't matter who has which name,” Rei said, though he seemed annoyed, his voice came across as soft- like always. Rei was a very polite boy, that was for sure, he was easily the most obedient out of all of them. “Jessie and James,” Rei concluded, typing something in.

“Meowth, that’s right,” Makoto mocked under his breath, leaning in closer to Haru to cherish the shorter’s little giggles accompanied by a loving slap on his shoulder. That’s when Makoto realized Sasabe was glaring at them, and the two boys went as stiff as a board in their stance. 

They were very professional figures. At least that's how the rest of Japan saw them. The four boys could crush and scatter rebel plans before they even left the ground because of their threatening presence- and they couldn’t afford to be goofy, even in their free time when nobody was watching.

“We need a plan. What will you two do when you get in?” Sasabe asked, and Makoto looked at Haru. Makoto had been in the undercover scene before, but, Haruka was the one who knew how to blend in and still get things done. Makoto was a master on scattering riots and hunting down specific targets nomatter what the situation, but, the huge man couldn't blend in unless he was told how to do so. 

“Well our main objective is that document, and Yamazaki, correct?” Sasabe nodded as Haru spoke. “Easy. Me and Makoto make our way in, take out the guards, and look for the bag. I assume that if Yamazaki is a copy of Makoto, he’ll notice if something is wrong mighty fast and come looking.” Haru walked forward gesturing to the map on the hologram, “And than we leave through the exit connected through the bag room with Yamazaki on our trail.”

“That’s based off of assumption,” Sasabe snapped back, and Haru’s eyes narrowed.

“I know.” Haru continued, “We’ll need to attract a certain amount of attention for this to work.” Haru glanced at Makoto- his eyes focused and serious, even as he said his next statement. “We’re going to need to find a dress that will fit Makoto.”

Nagisa snorted. From that snort sprouted a laugh- which the branches of laughter grew  flowers that attracted the bees of embarrassment that stung Makoto all over.

“Very funny, Haru,” Makoto blanked, and Haru bit his lip. “Oh no, you’re serious, oh no..”

“Do you think high heels could support him?” Haru then wondered out loud, bending down and cradling his chin in his hands as if he was Rei looking at a new piece of technology. “Hmm..” 

“Haru!” Makoto cried, walking backwards- feeling vulnerable even though he was concealed by a huge jacket, baggy pants and boots that were a size too small. And he was being evaluated by the man who had seen him naked countless times.

“Scratch the heels, he’ll fall,” Haru informed, “Dress is needed though. Some makeup, oh, a wig will be good..” Haru finally smiled, “Yeah, I think Makoto in a dress will be attention enough.”

“As much as I wanna see Makoto in a dress, are you sure this will work?” Sasabe asked, smiling as he raked his eyes down Makoto’s body as if imagining the large boy in a dress. Makoto let out a grunt, suppressing the growl that badly wanted to escape his throat.

“Yes, I’ll make sure of it.” Haru said, crossing his arms to prove his point, “And if that doesn't work, I’ll set of the alarms. Hell, I’ll shoot someone to get his attention.” 

Sasabe smiled, “That’s the spirit, Haruka.” Haru nodded, accepting the compliment. 

Haru was a tough egg to crack. In their teen years he refused to listen to anybody, but after a fair amount of hard, physical punishment and flat out blackmailing the poor teen, he was brought into submission, and would kiss of Sasabe’s boots if he was told to. Though, probably begrudgingly so. Yet still, Haru was the problem child of the group. He was far too skilled and important to get rid of, but Makoto could tell Haruka made all the scientist’s lives a living hell. 

Makoto on the other hand was trying to hold it together as Iwatobi’s prized show dog- a flush so red on his cheeks that he felt like he was going to explode. 

“What about me?” Nagisa asked excitedly, and Haru responded without thinking. 

“You’ll be positioned a block away, far away enough for us to have a getaway without being followed by anyone from the party who happens to notice if Yamazaki- or Rin- is missing. We’ll lead him right to you, and from your position on the roof you’ll shoot hi with the dart. From there the rest depends on you,” Haru looked at Sasabe, “We’ll need a getaway car.”

“Maybe a helicopter!” Nagisa chimed in, and Sasabe smiled at the mention of using a helicopter. They hadn’t in awhile.

“Helicopter it is!” Sasabe piped, and him and Nagisa had a short victory dance before Sasabe had enough and cut him straight through with a stiffening glare.

“Rei will stay here with back up, and watch for any signs of panic,” Haruka asked, “we’re basically in the heart of Samezuka so anything could go wrong. I’m fine on missions, but seeing Rin might..” Haru trailed off, “I can handle it. Makoto’s with me.” Haru pushed a small smile onto his features- “And he’s in a dress.”

Makoto moaned softly in annoyance, turning his head in discomfort- nobody seemed to worry about his displeasure in showing off that much of his legs though, because Sasabe kept speaking.

“Sounds good, I’ll be meeting you three in the weapon yard at ten tonight. That gives you six hours.” Sasabe said, “Make sure to cover yourself up too, Haruka, you and Makoto are both on high watchlists.  I’m sure Kou will help you find a suitable outfit for you both.” Sasabe winked, before dipping out the door. They saluted him before he left, and Makoto immediately lit up in harsh scoldings as Haru took it like it was nothing.

“You put out my cigarette,” Haru repeated coldly, and Makoto shouted in irritation.

“You let me!” Makoto replied angrily, stomping one of his feet into the ground as the background noise was filled with laughter from the bouncy blonde in the corner of the room, and the soft jingle of a tune that was, no doubt, the bird game Rei had an addiction to.

Makoto wasn’t used to his aggravation having no affect. Normally with a glare everyone would stop what they were doing and scatter. It was kind of nice to have friends that weren’t intimidated by Makoto’s sheer size.

Haru was the first to leave, and Makoto followed him down the hall in hot pursuit- leaving Nagisa and Rei to do whatever the hell they did.

“I can’t beileve you want me in a dress,” Makoto sighed heavily in defeat, “Though, I guess it’s not that bad.” He ran a hand through his hair- slicking his bangs back so they didn't hang in his face.

Haru hummed softly, before starting a new topic. “I’m going to nap.”

“Can I come with you?” Makoto asked- one of his large fingers looping around Haru’s much smaller one, and he felt Haru reluctantly squeeze him back.

“Sure, if watching me sleep is that invigorating.” Haru monotoned back, and Makoto shoved his free hand in his pocket. Haru’s hand was slipping more and more into Makoto’s, their fingers intertwining- though, Haru’s hands got lost in the sea that was Makoto’s fingers. “You’re stressed.”

“Mh,” Makoto grunted blankly, not providing an explanation.

“Why?” Haru egged on, and Makoto snorted like a tired animal,  “Don’t want to talk about it, hm?” Haru went silent after that, and Makoto was glad. It was mainly because he didn't have a reason. He didn't want to try to explain that to Haru, though he was pretty sure Haru would understand. The two could communicate without speaking just from subtle glanced and twitches of the lips and other appengedes. They hadn’t meant for it to be that way, but the two were nearly inseparable. It became something the scientists encouraged after Rin was captured, and Kou was scrapped as a part of the team as well as the esp twin project the scientists had been working on. Makoto had seen Kou around, apparently she was a location scouter and would figure out where Samezuka would be next. He’d also seen her around in the halls, and sometimes Makoto would sit with her in the mess hall. From the looks of it, she didn't like being around Makoto and the others, but other than that she was a nice girl. She was simply bitter over the loss of his brother, and didn't want to be around  the people who reminded her of what could’ve been.

Basically Makoto and Haruka’s ‘telepathy’ was just as good, if not better than what the scientists had been working on for Kou and Rin. It was all natural and genuine. They were two people who were around each other beyond the missions, they just hung out because they wanted to, not because they were forced.

Soon they were in their own wing of the Iwaotobi base, a place that was just as cold than the rest of the building with clean, pristine metal walls. Haruka opened his door by pressing his hand to it, and he dragged Makoto in along with him before the sliding door had the chance to close on the larger.

Makoto was stripping down from his work clothes in moments, ridding himself of the baggy jacket and pants so he was only in an undershirt and shorts. It was kind of cold in Haru’s room, it always was- the room was pretty barren. Makoto didn't have much either, but he had his little TV and his favorite blankets with little dogs on them, as well as a couple of posters of things to help cheer him up whenever he was feeling down. Haru’s room was light blue, the sheets on his bed grey, and the only other thing interesting was that he had a little old-fashioned blue alarm clock.

“Can I play your nintendo?” Makoto asked, and Haru nodded in silent reply, already curling up in his bed. Haru had gotten a nintendo 64 for his last birthday, while Makoto got a VHS. Honestly, he would’ve preferred the nintendo. Makoto slapped in some old Mario kart game- Haru’s only two games were that and Zelda (Which Makoto was terrible at), and he started to play with the volume on low as to not disturb Haru. 

“I would ask to play with you,” Haru mumbled, shuffling around in the blankets, “But you beat me every time.”

“That’s only because I’m the emergency getaway driver,” Makoto chimed, “remember? They taught me how to drive really well-”

“Yeah.” Haru mumbled, and Makoto glanced over to look over his shoulder at Haru, who was tightly curled up in his blankets. “I’m scared about seeing Rin.” 

“Me too,” Makoto sighed, turning his attention back towards the screen. “I’m not sure if I’m going to be able to leave him there.”

“We won’t,” Haru snapped, “We’ll get his attention somehow. I don’t care if he’s the center of attention at this place, I’m going to tranq him.” 

Makoto chuckled coldly, a weak little noise that he knew Haru could pick up how fake that sounded. “That’s nothing we can’t handle.” Makoto said, “We’ve done worse.”

“I’m going to bring a tranquilizer just incase we see him, or if I need it,” Haru mumbled, “I know you have a thing against shooting me, but if I start acting up, please don’t hesitate. Everything I say when i’m like that is garbage.”

Haru always said that before they went on missions together. Haru always referred to them as seizes- and he’d start bleeding from the nose, or start looking uncomfortable or nervous. The earliest sign of it was when Haru would rub his ears, and ask Makoto ‘do you hear that?’. Haru never told Makoto what he was hearing. 

Makoto had seen him seize up many times- he’d say things about Iwatobi and how they were wrong, and his nose would pour blood like a waterfall and he always acted like a terrified animal. The worst time was when Makoto had walked into the bathroom in their hall and saw blood everywhere, Haru had stabbed himself in the shoulder and screamed nonsense about ‘this being the only way out,’ and then he tried to convince Makoto to do the same thing. Makoto hadn’t shot him then, he just pinned him down and carried him off- because for some reason Makoto had so much trouble shooting him.  He felt so wrong doing it. He didn't want to treat Haru like the animal they both were, because to Makoto, Haruka was so much more than that. 

“I know,” Makoto replied, feeling agitated and uncomfortable with the topic- his neck tingling, “it won’t come to that.”

“But if it does,” Haru threatened lowly, and Makoto flinched at his tone- his in-game cart flying off the track. 

“I’ll shoot you with the tranquilizer.” Makoto snapped. He didn't yell, Makoto would never yell at Haru especially, but his voice was firm and sharp and probably not something Haru was used to hearing. He could tell Haru was tense behind him.

Haru sighed after a few moments, and went completely silent and still. Makoto didn't hear from him until Makoto won the racing match and laid back- his head finding Haru’s stomach. 

He curled against his boyfriend, crawling up to press his forehead to Haru’s. Haru had fallen asleep, but his let out a soft shnuffle as Makoto pressed his lips lovingly against Haru’s, though, only for a second. He felt bad for snapping, and as he hugged him close and slid down to dig his head into Haru’s shoulder, he let out a soft apology into Haru’s jacket. 

Makoto closed his eyes tight, and waited the hours out with Haruka. 

 

/**/ 

 

Makoto almost didn't recognize Haru in a suit. They never wore anything that.. Good looking. It was sleek and black, and clearly wasn’t his because the sleeves went down a little too far on his hands. Makoto also assumed that Haru looked different because of the fake nose they had slapped on his face- it was just slightly pointer than his normal button and was convincingly real, and the only reason why he knew it was fake was because he had perfectly memorized his boyfriend’s face. He could pick out Haru’s face just by the dimples in his cheeks and nothing else.

Makoto was taken aback by Haru’s appearance for a moment- wanting to curl against that slim body that was covered by that handsome jacket- but then Haru’s blank expression curled into a shit-eating grin and Makoto realized he was wearing a dress.

“You’re cute,” Haru commented, and Makoto grunted in irritation.

“Don’t you dare make fun of me! This was your stupid idea!” Makoto snapped, and Haru snickered quietly. He crossed his arms and whipped his head in the other direction, only to meet Kou’s eyes.

Kou’s eyes were red, like her brother’s, and had lost that fire in it that she once had. Instead, they were a sad pink, and she huffed in irritation- though, Makoto could tell just from her eyes that she was in no way irritated. She was more so saying; “Let me get this over with, please.” 

The dress they had found was decently long, at least it covered up Makoto’s legs so he didn't have to flaunt heavily muscled, hairy legs. Not that there was anything wrong with that, he just wasn’t okay with showing that much skin. Around his chest it was a light beidge, that faded into a deep brown as it moved down- a little brown ribbon fastened at the front. It was too small. He could tell that much, and Makoto uncomfortable shuffled as Kou started fixing his chest. He already had enough man-boob, but yet they insisted on shoving some fake breasts into the sleeveless dress.

Not only that, but they shoved a tranquilizer gun into the hollow linings of the one of fake boobs. 

“Makoto, look at me,” Kou said softly, pinching his cheeks so he turned his body back around, “I know you hate this, but it’s for the mission,” Kou continued, patting his hair lovingly as she took out a makeup bag. Eugh. “Haru, don’t you dare say another word,” Kou hissed, “I think he looks lovely in a dress.” 

“Really?” Makoto asked, probably a little too touched by the compliment. 

Kou nodded, humming softly as Makoto flattened his hands over the dress skirt. Kou started applying clearly cheap, sticky lipstick to his lips- without even putting balm on first. Makoto was pretty sure he could do a better job than she was, but, he didn't whine. 

“Make sure it doesn’t look nice,” Haru said, “Make it look over the top, in a bad way.”

“Gee, did Makoto do something to upset you today? You’re relentless, this poor baby.” Kou pinched at Makoto’s cheek- and started to pull out a palette of blue and gold eyeshadow. 

“He put out my cigarette,” Haru mumbled, and Makoto could only feel a dull annoyance at this point.

“Oh my god,” Makoto mumbled, rolling his eyes as Kou started to smother his face with whatever makeup she could find. He could tell the makeup was cheap, it was sticky against his lips and it stung his eyes a little- though, he didn't blame her for it. They were prisoners to Iwatobi, unable to buy anything, or even go out in the first place unless they were on a mission. 

“You’re so cold, Haruka,” Kou mumbled, shaking her head- “Alright, stand really still and look up for me, alright?” Makoto nodded- and he looked up- Kou starting to pull on the skin around his eye before he felt a tickling sensation under it. “You’re lucky to have such a great boyfriend, Haru, I wouldn’t even dress up like this if I had a boyfriend and he asked me.” 

“Yeah, he’s pretty great,” Haru sounded genuine for once in the conversation- and he felt those distinct, skinny fingers run through his hair- making him shiver. 

There was a good five minutes of silence before Makoto’s greatest fear came bouncing over- blonde curls and all, he even carried his biggest rifle with him- and, what completed the horror, was that he was laughing.

“OH man, look at that,” Nagisa laughed, “Poor Mako-chan, oh, that’s hysterical-” Makoto couldn’t growl or snarl at him- because Kou had her hands around his heavy jaw in a death grip as she did his eyeliner. “Is that dress too small for you, big guy?” He chortled, which at long last, Kou shot him a death glare that silenced him immediately.

Rei followed closely behind, but he wisely kept his mouth shut. He was holding two, small earpieces in his hand- one he gave to Kou, and the other to Haru. “Ah, um,” Rei stuttered, not sure how to start the conversation with a six-foot-tall giant who was wearing a dress in the room, “Here's your earpieces, anything you two say will be heard as long as you hold down the button, as well as anyone in a six foot radius.”

“We know, Rei,” Haru said softly, wedging the technology into his ear. 

“Just thought i’d remind you both, it’s been awhile since the two of you have been undercover together,” Rei laughed, “Me, Sasabe and some back up will be watching your movements from the helicopter, which will be in roughly the same place Nagisa is.” 

“Thanks Rei,” Makoto said with a soft smile, and Rei smiled back.

“...Are you really, actually wearing that?” Rei asked, and Makoto could only laugh coldly.

“Yes.”

The look eventually evolved into not only the dress and bright lipstick choices- but long gloves that covered his forearms and a long, blonde wig- to apparently mask any more traces of his true identity, though, Makoto was pretty sure it was for Haru’s amusement.

They packed a nearly empty duffle-bag with them, which was empty besides a small sack- that would hopefully be used for carrying out their targets body. That, and the tranquilizer hidden in Makoto’s fake breasts- jesus, this was embarrassing.

Makoto was walking outside to the platform, Nagisa and Rei following close behind. Makoto went to call for Haru as the helicopter's blades started to twirl- to see Haru and Kou at the doorway- the two exchanging a long hug. He couldn’t hear them, but he knew they were speaking of Rin. 

Haru was quickly walking away, striding up to Makoto with a small frown. “We’re going to get him back tonight, and I won’t have it any other way,” Haru said, and Makoto could only sigh. He knew that already. 

He couldn't help but feel wrong. Uncomfortable in some strange way. He pushed forward, though, and climbed into the helicopter, helping Haruka up and in. As they left, Makoto looked out the window to watch Kou step out onto the roof- her red hair whipping around her like a fire as she watched the helicopter leave.

For a moment, Makoto thought of how different things would be if Rin was still around. 

 

/**/ 

 

It wasn’t like Makoto wasn’t used to going undercover. He’d done it a few times, and if he had to stand out, hell, he’d do a good job doing it. 

He started off the night with calling the guards ‘dirty perverts’, and pressing his fake breasts against their faces because he had that certain advantage.  They went in, and Haru was wearing possibly the most unsettled and shocked expression Makoto had seen on his face in a long time.

“Jeez,” Haru coughed, “I always forget how good you are at that.” 

Makoto pursed his lips- a wet squelch sounding from the cheap, sticky lipstick. “You didn't think I could handle myself?” Haru made an ‘eeh’ noise, which signified that, yes, he did think Makoto was going to be a blushing mess, and that Haru’s brilliant plan to embarrass him had completely backfired. 

Haru turned with a shallow breath- pressing into his almost completely hidden earpeice. “We’re in,” Haru said softly, and Makoto jumped in shock as he heard Rei’s voice in his earpeice.

“Great, how’d it go?”

“Makoto is terrible and I hate him,” Haru said, and Makoto snickered lightly. Makoto heard Nagisa screeching ‘hey you guys!’ in the background.

“Alright, don’t blow your cover now, good bye!” 

Haru hummed, and his hand left his ear. They were approaching a set of frosted glass doors, and the two exchanged a glance as they pushed through. 

It was better than it was in the picture, the whole place was seemingly made from gold- the chandelier reflecting the colors all over. It was a grand party, and Makoto honestly felt some form of childish excitement swell in his chest. There was tables and chairs of groups taking pictures- and he really wondered if this was the powerful rebel group they were after. He’d never been to a party, never surrounded by this much lively energy. Sure he’d been to his friend’s birthday parties, but after age seven they were turned into more of a graduation. A sort of ‘you lived another year! Wow!’ sort of thing, to prove how good Iwatobi’s four prized attack dogs were. But this, this was much different, and Makoto realized he was in huge danger if he broke character right now and he couldn’t enjoy his first ever party. 

Though, despite the liveliness, he couldn’t help but feel anxious. A tension in his chest that wouldn’t leave no matter how many -in-and-out breaths he took. His childhood therapist at Iwatobi had always told him to inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth went he felt stressed, but as Makoto got older, he found it didn't work. He wished it did.

Than, Makoto realized how hungry he was when he saw a huge table of food. It stretched far and was decorated with golden limbs of  turkey, and certain other foods Makoto couldn't name but he sure as hell wanted to eat. Sure, Iwatobi had a giant mess hall, but it was filled with sub-par food and Makoto was hardly allowed to eat as much as he needed, but this food looked like a beautiful masterpiece. 

He tugged on the sleeve of Haru’s suit-looking back at him. 

Haru’s eyes widened briefly, before narrowing.

“Focus,” Haru reformed, yanking his sleeve away from Makoto and roughly cuffing his sleeve, and Makoto let out a small whine. Haru’s eyes were softening. 

‘I need this,’ Makoto was trying to tell him- without depending on pills to lessen his anxiety, he ate food. It was the one thing that could calm him down when he felt in danger, besides Haru’s arms around him, but that could potentially blow his cover. “Fine,” Haru breathed, and he took Makoto’s hand and led him to the table. Makoto knew Haru could feel the tremble in his hands. 

Makoto got as much food as his table would allow, which mostly consisted of heavy carbs and two slabs of some red meat- he didn't even care what it was- and Haru seemed to resist at first but in the end he got a light salad with some strange dressing. (Haru had sniffed all of the dressings first- and Makoto wondered how he was the undercover specialist, because that was the least ‘undercover’ thing Makoto had ever seen.) 

They found an empty, circle table that was covered by a silky white cloth- and Makoto started to eat. Tearing into the first leg of some animal- all he knew was it tasted kind of like a mixture of chicken and pork and Makoto loved it. 

Haru popped a tomato into his mouth questioningly. Haru was never a huge eater, and from the looks of it there was no fish being served which was his favorite. “I would ask you to dance, but I really can’t take you seriously in all that makeup.”

“You regret putting it on me now, hm?” Makoto mumbled- wiping his face with a napkin as he nearly stripped the bone clean of meat- “Yeah, we could be somewhat enjoying ourselves right now.” 

“Hush,” Haru murmured, “Don’t eat to fast, I know you can stomach a lot but I don’t want you to throw up.”

Makoto hummed, and still ate like it was an art. Focused on the food in front of him, he didn't notice when Haru started to look around. He was half-way through some pasta with thick sauce when Haru gripped his arm with a vice-like grip.

“Ow,” Makoto mumbled, trying to pull away, but Haru didn't budge- his eyes focused to a big circle table in the corner of the room. Makoto didn't have to ask twice, and he followed Haru’s eyes to a head of deep maroon hair, and Makoto regretted eating because he felt his stomach lurch painfully. 

Rin had grown. Just like the rest of them. Makoto’s imagery of Rin in his mid teens was completely shattered- a boy with chubby cheeks and these firey red eyes, with a crazed smile filled with sharp teeth was replaced by a angled, handsome young man, with this calmed- mature look in his eyes and a soft smile on his face. His hair was still long, but tied into a neat ponytail, a light colored suit framed against his lean body. A smile was tugging at his lips, but it was so soft and gentle, and just relaxed that Makoto felt fear curl in his stomach- because he looked not only healthy but happy, and Makoto realized that he in no way looked like someone who was being tortured, or even slightly mistreated.

Not only that, but their target was next to him. Yamazaki. Deep brown hair, these dark teal eyes- and Rin’s hand was on the table- his fingers intertwined with Yamazaki’s.

The two looked happy. That scared Makoto. Also, Yamazaki was a giant. 

Haru’s eyes slowly met Makoto’s, and Makoto found he couldn’t take his eyes away from the two.

Makoto heard laughter coming from the table, there was three other males Makoto didn't recognize but he didn't care about them- Rin and Yamazaki lit up in laughter along with the rest of their table, that childish flare coming back in Rin’s eyes as he slammed a fist on the table to accompany whatever hideous laughter was going on over there.

Makoto wanted to go over there and hug his friend, hug him tight and sit down with him and laugh with them. He wanted to be a part of that happiness that Iwatobi didn't have. But, he felt wrong removing Rin from whatever this was- like he belonged here, and Makoto got a twisting feeling in his gut as Haru went to stand.

Makoto yanked him back down, and Haru looked infuriated with Makoto for doing so.

“What are you doing?” Haru hissed, “He’s right there!”

There it was. That fire that Rin sparked in Haru, that fire Makoto hadn’t seen in years. Makoto gulped, looking for something to say- “We need to stick to the mission.”

“Do you think I care?” Haru snapped, and Makoto gestured to the door in the opposite corner, the door being guarded by two men.

“We should get the bag first,” Makoto said, “See, Yamazaki is sitting right next to him, once we get the bag, we can get Rin and Yamazaki.” Makoto felt like he was lying through his teeth. He wasn’t, technically, but he didn't want to rip Rin from this place. His head started to hurt.

“Fine, you done eating?” Haru mumbled, and Makoto cautiously nodded- he had lost his appetite. 

The two politely put their plates away, and Makoto could feel eyes on him as they went for the door. Though, as Makoto did so- he looked back once to see Rin’s lips press against their target- Yamazaki’s lips- and Makoto wished he was blind. 

The guards at the door caught Makoto’s gaze as they went up to them, though, they looked him up and down and cringed- and suddenly Makoto was really looking forward to killing them as he flashed them a painfully fake smile. 

One of the guards opened their mouths as Haru and Makoto stood close to them, probably about to tell them off- but they were both cut short as Makoto and Haru both quickly pressed their hands to the necks of the guards- and in a mere moment Makoto had thrown them both inside, Haru shutting the door quickly behind them. 

Haru was rubbing his hands, and then he shot a look at Makoto as he started pulling off the gloves on his hands- and he was using them to angrily wipe the makeup off his face. “What are you doing?” Haru asked, watching Makoto lick his lips to try and get the lipstick off of them.

“If I have to fight that Yamazaki guy, there is no way I’m wearing sticky makeup and a tight dress,” Makoto huffed, throwing off the dress and tearing it slightly in the process. Next was the long wig, and Makoto ruffled his hair to flatten it. 

“You’re so into the nitty-gritties,” Haru mumbled, he knew how specific Makoto was about a lot of things, and when it came to his body, Makoto liked to feel his very best. If the male was thrown slightly off canter, he would refuse to fight.  Haru went to pick up the tranquilizer from the fake breasts- assuming Makoto even forgot it was in there.

He was wearing these long black nylon pants and a think tanktop underneath the dress, so it wasn't like he was naked or anything. They searched a bit for a lightswitch, but deemed that the small lightbulb that was only partially illuminating the room was the only one. 

Makoto rubbed his hands, and he and Haru exchanged a glance before they went, looking in small cubbies to see if they could find the bag.

Makoto read each tag carefully, watching as Haru pulled out the small keychain-flashlight he carried with him, turning it on to more-closely investigate each tag on the bags carefully. There weren’t a ton of bags, so it didn't take very long.

“Found it,” Haru called, holding the bag above his head as Makoto shuffled his way over. It was a medium sized bag, kind of like a large black purse, but there was a lock securely fastening it shut. “What if what we need isnt in here?” Haru asked, but Makoto had already yanked a bobby pin from his hair- since he was wearing a wig moments ago- and jammed the thing into the lock. “You’re going to break the pin, jeez Makoto, let me do it,” Haru whispered, his skinny fingers replacing Makoto’s, and he started to wiggle it around until the two hear a satisfying click. 

Makoto and Haru opened the bag and leaned in like they were opening a treasure chest- though it was filled with sweatclothes and sports stuff like mens body spray. Haru cringed as he smelt the powerful musk of pine needles and mint spill out from the bag, overwhelming his senses. “Eugh,” Haru hissed as Makoto started to card through the clothes, and at the bottom of it all was a small, blue folder, labeled in all caps “IWATOBI FREEBIRD”, which was written crudely in black sharpie.

“Clever title,” Haru remarked, and without any concern for getting in trouble for looking at documents that were probably secret, the two boys started looking through its contents. 

The front page was all written in bold letters, and it was the same document that Rei had found the snippet of. It said some junk about codes or some shit, but than it started listing Makoto’s information, and he felt panic seize in his gut.

It said his height and weight, his importance to the team as the leader- things Makoto already knew. But, than it listed other things that not even he knew.

_ PARENT(S) : MAY TACHIBANA _

_ SIBLING(S): REN AND RAN TACHIBANA _

_ SEPARATION AGE: 6 YEARS _

“That doesnt make any sense,” Haru spat, apperantly the two shared the same reading speed- “We were made in a lab, Makoto.” 

“I know,” Makoto mumbled, continuing to read. The idea of a family was so alien to him. So incredibly strange, but it made him tingle with warmth at the thought of a motherly figure embracing him- a warm contrast to his normally cold thoughts. 

He continued to read.

_ CLOSELY RELATES WITH NANASE HARUKA _

_ DO NOT SEPARATE AT ALL COSTS _

“They got something right,” Makoto said, pointing at the bold text with a smirk.Though, Haru smiled for a moment, he was quickly frowning.

“That means they’re planning on-” Haru trailed off, before hearing the loud bang of the door opening.

Makoto and Haru both scrambled to opposite corners of the room, Makoto grabbing the bag and quickly closing everything inside. He shoved himself into a closet- though, it didn't have a door on it, simply a curtain. And if whoever was in here opened that curtain, he’d be done for. Now that Makoto knew they were looking to take him, he felt sickness curl in his gut- did they know he was here? Did they plan this? Makoto wished he was better at hiding.

Haru on the other hand was a master at tight spaces. He crammed himself into a cubby, sliding the tranquilizer out and clutching it tightly to his chest. He knew that specific noise that a dart made, a near silent, shrill whistle that was followed by a noise of impact. If anyone shot Makoto- Haru would know- and he’d shoot them before anyone could take him away. 

Footsteps echoed through the silence, making their way into the room, and Makoto halted in his breathing. Fear arched up his spine no matter how many times he did this- especially now that he knew they were planning on kidnapping him just like they had kidnapped Rin.

The footsteps stopped in the middle of the room, and Makoto took a small silent breath out his nose. Just than, as if the person had heard his tiny breath- started to speak.

“Did you two really have to kill the guards?” 

Makoto felt his stomach flip. 

“C’mon, real classy, you two,” The voice said, deep but yet smooth- and though it was slightly deeper than it had been all those years ago, Makoto recognised it as Rin’s. “I guess it’s not your fault though, huh?” He was so relaxed, but yet there was a certain fire and tension in Rin’s voice that reminded Makoto of their childhood years.

He started to pace, and Makoto could feel himself tighten in fear everytime Rin grew closer. “So, I’m guessing it was Makoto in the dress, huh? I recognised Haru immediately.” Rin chuckled coldly- fear laced in his tone, “Oh you two... Haru still tortures you, hm, Makoto?” 

Makoto wanted to laugh. He wanted to say yes, he wanted to melt into Rin and have his friend back. But he couldn’t. Everything felt so wrong, and Makoto could feel his chest swell with something that was greater than anxiety- horror, probably. All that pent of aggravation from this week was hitting the head of its peak- twisting into a terrible feeling of gut-wrenching sickness. 

“You guys remember what day it is?” Rin asked, his voice soft and longing, as if he was thinking the same thing Makoto was, “It’s my birthday. That’s why we’re here. Honestly, it’s nice seeing my friends on my birthday.” Rin laughed again, his voice trembling- and Makoto realized this guy was still a crybaby, that easily brought to tears- it was so Rin-like. Maybe he wasn’t all that different . “I miss you guys so much sometimes.” 

Makoto had never had a birthday party before. Never knew a party this grand being held for a birthday was possible until now. He was starting to doubt that Samezuka was actually as nasty as it seemed- Makoto felt his head throb painfully with that thought. 

“Stop hiding you guys! I know you’re here!” Rin yelled, his voice trembling and weak- it was ceasing up on itself, “Let me show you what Iwatobi really is, and let me show you what they’ve been hiding from us! Makoto ,you have a family, don’t you want to meet them?” Rin was laughing again, this time all cold and hopeless, “Please, let me show you.”

There was silence. Makoto didn't realize he was crying until he felt something hot run down his cheek- the most warmth he had felt all week. The silent air brought a soft ringing to Makoto’s ears, his hands going up to rub his ears. 

“This party was for me,” Rin said, Makoto hearing him sniffle- “Remember how Iwatobi celebrates our birthdays?” The ringing grew louder, hitting a certain point where Makoto slammed his fists into his temples- letting out a shattered breath. “They don’t.” 

It felt like a bomb went off inside Makoto’s head- and he could hear it. 

He dropped the bag, the papers probably scattering everywhere, the closets thin covering being thrown to the side- and soon he had wrapped Rin’s body in his arms.

He pushed his face into Rin’s shoulder, starting to cry as soon as he felt Rin hug him back. He had dropped something, it had clattered to the ground- but Makoto didn't care enough to see what it was. 

“Hey! Easy, easy, you’re strong!” Rin yelled, though his voice was accompanied by a weak laugh, “You’ve gotten big.”

Makoto nodded against his shoulders- tears streaking his face as his arms constricted Rin against him, only squeezing him tighter. Makoto wanted to say something but he couldn't, he felt like his mind was on fire and he preferred it this way to not feeling nothing at all. Honestly, it was nice, normally Makoto felt pretty close to a corpse. Though the ringing was painful, it was near blissful because Makoto could feel something even though it hurt like hell. He could feel Rin’s hands patting his back and the way his long hair tickled Makoto’s neck.

Than, suddenly, Rin felt stiff and cold and everything silenced at once.

“Wait, where’s Haru?” Rin’s voice was filled with stiff regret.

Than Makoto heard it, the shrill, quick sound of a dart, and the impact on skin. Rin pulled away from Makoto, looking over his shoulder and reaching behind himself.

He pulled back, a shiny, red dart between his fingers. Rin’s eyes widened, his pupils twitching. Makoto let out a broken sob, slapping his hands over his mouth as he stumbled backwards.

“No- Rin, I’m sorry, I didn't, he wasn’t supposed to-” Makoto stuttered, putting his hands in front of himself in defense though it was more so defense from the look of betrayal on Rin’s face. “I didn’t know! Haru!” Makoto yelled, and as Rin collapsed to his knees, he saw Haru’s body still tense in an aim behind him- the tranquilizer gun held out stiff infront of him, this awful look of determination in Haru’s eyes.

Rin started to sob- before screaming- “Sousuke!” But Haru was quick to dash over and cover his mouth, pressing Rin’s head to his shoulder.

“Shh!” Haru hissed, sounding more stressed than angry. There was a crazed smile twitching onto his lips the more Rin lost consciousness- the fire in his eyes fading and rolling back in his head. 

“Haru! Put him down!” Makoto demanded, and in a spur of emotion he slammed himself into Haru, the smaller male yelping and tumbling away. Though, it was much too late, as Rin was already reduced to a twitching, lifeless heap on the floor. 

“Makoto! What the hell?” Haru screamed, balling his fists as he crawled to his knees. Makoto knelt over Rin like he was mourning a dead friend, his back to Haru- his muscles twitching and shivering like he too had been shot. “Come on, I’ve got the bag right here, lets go-” Haru demanded, pulling out the bunched up sack in his sidebag, but he froze as Makoto turned his head slowly to look at him.

His pupils were as small as pinpoints, that beautiful forest color completely replaced by the whites of his eyes. “Haru,” He said, his voice sounded glazed over by ice- and Haru’s fire was immediately put out by the cold in his tone- “He has a lover.”

Haru watched as a stream of red escaped one of Makoto’s nostrils, and Haru suddenly realized- Makoto was seizing. 

“We can’t take him,” Makoto whined this time, “He belongs here, we can’t-” Makoto was curling into himself- pressing his hands into his head, and Haru watched in terror as his lover began to experience what Haru had felt many, many times.

Haru swallowed, crawling forward to flatten his hand over Makoto’s hair- “You’re right,” He mumbled, smiling nervously, trying to get Makoto’s good side and keep him calm. Haru knew he could get violent when he seized- if Makoto did, Haru would be as good as dead. “Shh, let me just, call Rei really quick, just to let him know we’re going to keep Rin here, okay?” Haru was lying through his teeth, but apparently Makoto couldn’t pick that up right now.

“Okay,” Makoto mewled, the sound tiny and pathetic. Weak. Makoto was so vunreble right now, that it scared Haru. 

Makoto was his rock, and though Makoto was a softy, he’d never heard anything so weak come from Makoto.

Haru stepped to the side, standing as he pressed the communicator in his ear- “Rei.” Haru whispered harshly.

“Ah! Haruka- it’s been a while!” Rei chirped, and his happiness frustrated him to no end.

“Be quiet and listen to me,” Haru kept his voice down so Makoto didn't overhear, though, it seemed Makoto was busy playing with a strand of Rin’s hair and murmuring useless ‘sorrys’ to the other male, his nose flush with blood. “Makoto’s seizing.”

“Seizing?” Rei asked, and Haru remembered his dictionary of made-up words wasnt used by everyone.

“He’s, you know, he needs a reset,” Haru snorted, and Haru could hear the panic on the other line. Before Rei could speak again, he heard Sasabe’s voice boom from the earpiece, causing him to flinch. 

“Makoto doesn't do that!” Sasabe yelled, in absolute denial that his favorite, most loyal dog was going into seize- “Makoto doesn’t-”

“Well he is now,” Haru snapped, “Rei, what should I do?”

“Where are you,” Rei asked, his voice firm.

“We’re in the bag room ,but, we got Rin.” Haru admitted, “He followed us in and I shot him, right after that Makoto went in some state of shock and he just started bleeding. We have the bag, but we don’t have Yamazaki yet.” 

“Forget Rin,” Rei said, his voice laced with frustration, “Unless you’d rather trade Makoto for Rin, but I’m pretty sure Sasabe will kill you if you do that.”

“I will!” Sasabe snapped in the distance, and Haru somehow knew he was serious.

“Can you tranq him?” Rei asked, and Haru considered it for a moment before realizing that was crazy.

“He’s too heavy, I won’t be able to drag him and Rin out.” Haru answered, “Hell, I don’t think I can drag Makoto out on his own.”

“I know, this is hard for all of us,” Rei pulled, “But getting the both of them out isn’t a possibility if Rin being tranquilized scared him that bad. How aware is he?”

“Wait,” Haru said, looking over his shoulder at Makoto- the boy had clasped his hands over his ears. “Makoto?” Haru called ,which made Makoto perk up and look at Haru. 

Haru directed his speech back towards the earpiece, “Still conscious enough to listen well,” Haru explained, and Rei sighed in relief.

“Alright, this will be a lot easier. Try to make your way out with the bag and Makoto as quick as possible, this hasn’t happened before so we don’t know how long Makoto has until he gets.. Violent.” Haru could tell it took Rei a lot to say that- he always looked up to Makoto like he was some kind of big brother, it pained him to think of Makoto as someone who was unnecessarily violent. “He’s got a lot of extra testosterone, if he panicks or gets angry, it will be bad. Don’t lose sight of him, even if he does- just lead him outside, okay?”

“Got it,” Haru sighed, glancing at Rin’s sleeping figure, feeling his throat tighten. He should’ve went on this mission alone. 

“Is anyone chasing you?” Rei asked, and Haru was going to reply with a quick no, until he heard the doors to the bag room open. Great.

“Now there is. See you around the block.” Haru was scattering to the closet Makoto was in- picking up the bag and closing it tight.

“You sure youl’ll be able to make it there?” Rei asked, and Haru huffed angrily.

“Yes, see you later,” Haru snarled, hanging up the communicator and quickly taking Makoto by the hand.

“Where are we going?” Makoto asked, sounding more like a lost child, but he stood and followed Haru as he started to swiftly walk down the corridor that he was sure lead to an exit. 

“We’re gonna go see Nagisa and Rei, okay?” Haru said, trying his best to sound comforting, but honestly Haru felt like he was dying with every step he walked away from Rin. 

“Is Rin going to be okay?” Makoto asked, and Haru let out a sharp ‘mhm!’ in reply. Haru looked at Makoto only to see blood streaking his face like a stream, staining his shirt. Makoto messily licked his lips, and Haru snapped his head away- looking forward as he started to run. He held onto Makoto’s hand tight. 

Haru heard a yell in the distance- it was deep and gravely and somewhat scared. “Rin!” Haru heard ,and Makoto looked over his shoulder to see their target- nudging Rin like he was a dead animal.

Than Makoto was pulling to a stop- watching to see what the man was going to do to Rin, and Haru didn't want to risk pulling him forward, because he knew Makoto’s sanity was hanging by a string. 

The man put his head to Rin’s chest- before lifting his head, ruffling Rin’s hair gently, before meeting eyes with Haru.

Haru was caught with a look of frigid teal, and Haru recognized him immediately. Yamazaki. For a second the three just stared at each other ,but in a moment Yamazaki was bounding to his feet like a pouncing animal, the size of his form soon becoming horrifyingly clear.

“C’mon Makoto! Let’s go!” Haru yelled, and Makoto complied- thankfully.

Haru never let go of his hand as they ran, and the two of them were rather fast, but from the sound of Yamazaki’s feet pounding behind them he was easily keeping pace. Haru could outrun him easily- but Makoto wasn’t aware enough to keep pace. Even in this speed he kept stumbling, and he even started to sob.

“Haru, it hurts-!”

“Shh, I know!” Haru was barking, unable to soften his voice enough to a calm. He knew Makoto was talking about the ringing- the ear-splitting noise that made Haru submit to the blade of a knife and those how badly he wanted to stop thinking about anything. 

Haru skidded to a left, Makoto following- and then he saw two double doors. Haru sped up just enough to slam them open, the two men tumbling out onto the street. 

Haru sprinted outside, out onto the cold, wet pavement, a trickle of rain starting to pour as they ran. It was clear Yamazaki was still on their trail- as Haru could hear him calling for backup through his earpiece, and Haru felt stress explode in his chest. 

He dashed down the street he knew Nagisa was waiting on one of those rooftops for them. Haru was pressing into his earpiece- yelling demands without getting anyones attention. “Tell Nagisa to get ready, we’ve got Yamazaki on our tails. He’s called for backup so we have to make it quick.”

“Got it!” Rei shouted, and they disconnected. Haru was panting, he was able of running fast for a long time- but with him basically pulling two-hundred-pounds behind him, and being chased by the human equivalent of a damn tiger, Haru’s head was buzzing. 

Haru saw a blonde head of hair to his left, positioned on a rooftop, and in seconds Haru was diving for the end of the street. He heard the whistle, and as Makoto fell into his chest- pained sobs pouring from his lips, Haru saw Yamazaki fall in his sprint- the furry, red end of a dart buried in his neck. The perfect shot. 

He tried to get up- and surprisingly to Haru, he looked afraid. Not angry- but his eyes were filled with fear and more importantly regret before he dropped to the pavement. The shot to the neck took seconds to work, and thankfully Nagisa was a good enough shooter that he had stopped Yamazaki before he could tear Haru’s throat out.

Haru took the second dart out from his gun, holding it in his fist for all except the point- and he jammed it into Makoto’s neck to end his pain.

Makoto yelped, but he fell to a quick, and painful silence. 

“It’s over,” Haru murmured, kissing his sweaty forehead- trying to wipe the huge mess of blood from under Makoto’s nose away- but, it did really little to clean the mess of blood, “You’ll be okay soon.”

As Nagisa and couple of backups were climbing off the roof to lift Yamazaki and Makoto from the ground, fastening Yamazaki’s wrists with cuffs whilst they lovingly carried Makoto up to the helicopter on the roof, everyone moving fast so they could clear out before backup arrived. 

The backup soldiers had shoved Makoto’s nose with cotton, and Haru sat next to his sleeping body on the way back to Iwatobi. Makoto’s hair was drenched in sweat, but, Haru found that to the touch- he was frigidly cold. 

The night sky painted the same picture, a cold but wet night filled with stars, that Haru should’ve found beautiful, but he really didn't. The only thing he could feel was the rock in his stomach and Makoto’s sleepy breaths tickling his thigh. 

“Are you going to reset him?” Haru asked, trying to keep his voice calm and clean of any irritation or demand as he spoke to Sasabe.

“What choice do we have?” Sasabe sighed- clearly distraught that his favorite pet had fallen victim to thoughts of rebellion, which was previously thought was impossible. 

“You won’t, hurt him, right?”

“I’m not a doctor, Haruka,” Sasabe replied with a deep sigh, “I’m sure it’ll feel the same way you felt after the 30th time.” 

Haru scowled, feeling hurt by the poisonous statement. He didn't understand Sasabe. Hell, he didn't understand anyone on this damn machine, and he certainly didn't understand Iwatobi or Samezuka. He was the main form of control and defense for all of Japan and he had no idea who he was even working for.

Haru was glancing at Makoto, his hair falling in waves on Haru’s lap- and it was clear to Haru that Makoto was the only thing he really could understand anymore, and he somehow knew that was going to change.

 


	2. Foreshadows

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> REPOST Because there was a random glitch with the second chapter for some reason ? Im not sure if it was only affecting me but. just to be safe.  
> sorry to anyone who commented : ' ( i love you glithes like that just strss me out (aka whole like 4 paragraphs was missing, even tho when i checked the text itself it was fine! hopefully it goes away)
> 
> Theres probably a ton of spelling errors! pls let me know if you see any
> 
> NANYAWAYS i forget what i said before so ! enjoy !!! <3

Sousuke was drenched in sweat, one eye clenched tightly shut so it didn't fill with the blood that was raining from his forehead in a heavy stream. He wanted to wipe it off badly- knowing the blood would only crust and dry over, and Sousuke really didn't want to be blind in one eye, especially right now. Especially when the almost entirely white room was filled with the sound of creaking, and Sousuke knew he wasn’t alone.

He couldn’t see much- the cuffs around his hands keeping him pretty close to the post he was fashioned around, not allowing much sight besides what was directly in front of him. But, despite fear finding Sousuke that made his heart race and his vision flicker uncomfortably, he decided to keep his mouth shut for the best.

He felt like a caged rabbit. Small and vulnerable- something he hated feeling. He hated being caged like this. The only thing that gave him comfort in this world was the power he felt when he stood over others and watch them be utterly dumbfounded by his size- but now he was forced onto his knees, and bleeding and starved and scared as hell.

A figure walked around the corner, Sousuke scanning him head-to-toe. It was Hazuki. The little blonde shooter who’s aim was too good. Sousuke didn't know as much about him as he did Tachibana and Nanase, but, Sousuke was certainly aware of Hazuki’s intense shooting capabilities and habits of being a literal demon. Sousuke looked up at him, squinting as the lights in the room shone through the blonde’s hair- making Sousuke feel like he was looking at the sun. He licked his dry lips to ask for water even though he knew it wasn’t going to be given to him- they’d denied him of water these last two days and he felt like he was going to die.

Hazuki was opening an envelope , pulling a small white chair over to sit directly across from Sousuke- right out the large male’s reach. Sousuke looked towards the ground as Hazuki crossed his legs and made a small clicking noise with his tongue.

“You’re quiet,” Hazuki mumbled, before turning the pages he held to face Sousuke. Sousuke cringed at the sight of the bold letters of ‘FREE BIRD” on the papers, his eyes darting around nervously. “Recognize these?” Hazuki asked with a smirk on his face, and Sousuke regretted not just calling for backup before he went chasing after Tachibana and Nanase. Sousuke was directing his glance into the corner of the room.  “From the looks of it you do,” Hazuki continued with another cold chuckle.

Hazuki started shuffling through the papers- tapping one page with the tip of his finger. “Oh! Here it is,” the blonde-haired demon chirped, “Says here that ‘Tachibana’ is in the weapon yard on thursdays from five to ten.”

Sousuke wanted to hide his face in his hands so he didn't have to confront this terrible embarrassment he had from letting the documents slip before he had a chance to get them to the Samezuka base. Hazuki glanced at him- probably to make sure Sousuke was indeed suffering- before continuing.

“From nine to ten, the weapon yard is completely empty besides a few people who check stock. ‘Tachibana’ meets ‘Nanase’ after his scheduled time in the weapon yard. They are located by the front walls of Iwatobi. This seems to be their’ most vulnerable point.” Hazuki licked his soft fingertips and turned the page. “Try to capture these two as a pair. Tachibana is the main priority. The team will fall if he is captured.”

Hazuki’s hands gripped the paper so hard it crumpled underneath his grip, but, his face was calm. Somewhat. Still had that damn, eerie smile. He kept that smile as he stood and angrily shredded the document to pieces, like he was a human version of a paper shredder. Along with the document, Sousuke felt like his body was being shredded apart.

Sousuke looked towards the pile of torn paper, absolutely shocked- and he wanted to start crying but before he could utter a word a boot collided with his head.

The force was hard enough to send him to the floor- Sousuke letting out a horrified shout as he was pretty sure Hazuki was going to gut him- the small boy basically standing on his head, his pink eyes searing holes through Sousuke’s body.

Sousuke panted harshly, trying to escape Hazuki’s tight glare- his smile wiped clean from his face and replaced by a deep scowl.

“I don’t know much about why I’m here and what i’m doing,” Hazuki snarled, and Sousuke trembled before him- “But the only thing I really understand is my family, and I’m not letting you fuckers take them away from me.”

Hazuki was shaking and so was Sousuke, but the two were shaking both for opposite reasons.

“I’d kill you if you weren’t so important,” Hazuki growled, “You took Rin, he’s probably being starved and locked in a room all day for no good reason,” Sousuke wanted to speak but the pressure in his throat was unbearable, “I really wish I could kill you.”

Sousuke shivered, gasping out as soon as the demon had lifted his foot from his head- and Sousuke started to cough, choking up blood as he did so. It dribbled down his chin and stung like hell, his throat feeling like it was tied in a knot.

The first word Sousuke rasped was ‘water’, his tongue tasting of metallic tange. Hazuki laughed coldly. “You’re a damn coward,” Hazuki spat, “Do you know what this is? It’s torture, it’s supposed to hurt.” Hazuki seemed to have a brilliant idea, though, and from his bag that was strapped over his soldier he took out a bottle of water. And drank it. Of course.

He didn’t drink the entire thing, though, and Sousuke started to whine under his breath, tugging pathetically at the restraints- he couldn’t do much but tug, he had been beaten so bad his arms ached if he  so much as stretched them.

Hazuki kneeled down, still holding the water bottle. “Tell me where the samezuka base is.”

Sousuke went silent. So it was going to be this kind of thing, huh? Sousuke bit his lip, turning his head away.

“Alright? No?” Hazuki frowned, “Alright, i’ll go for something similar- where will Rin be next? You samezuka rebels travel a lot.”

Sousuke felt himself tense, and this time he scoffed, feeling the urge to fight when he heard that name. They were looking for Rin. Sousuke should’ve expected that, and he knew it from the terrifying second he saw Rin passed out on the floor with Tachibana and Nanase trying to have a clean getaway. “You’ll never,” Sousuke rasped, his voice hardly a whisper- “You’ll never get him.”

Hazuki’s grip tensed around the waterbottle, causing it to crinkle slightly under his grip. “Oh?” Hazuki cut, his eyes widening, “What makes you think that?”

“Because i’m not telling you shit about him,” Sousuke cursed, letting out a dry pant- “I won’t let you hurt him.”

That was the only thing keeping Sousuke from talking- Rin’s happiness- and the reminder that Rin was at samezuka and safe in his bed was enough to keep him from spilling any secrets.

“Is that so,” Hazuki growled, and he dumped the water on the floor. Sousuke let out a small scream, hitting the floor and lapping up the water he could reach. “You want water so bad?” Hazuki asked, “I have a lot of things I want too, you spoiled, Samezuka son-of-a-bitch!” Sousuke was watching as Hazuki started to pace. The boy clearly had a lot of pent up energy, and rage for that matter. Sousuke dragged his dry tongue against the wet floor, he could feel it soften with the heavenly touch of water. He wasn’t really listening anymore, and that seemed to piss the blonde off.

“We’ll get to you,” Hazuki snarled, his little hands balling into angry fists, “And once we crack you we’ll get to Rin.”

Sousuke was looking up at the image of Rin. He remembered when they first got Rin, how fragile and broken and scared he always looked, him and Sousuke connected because they were of the same age, and Sousuke was inspired from the very project Rin was from. They fit together like two pieces of a puzzle, and whenever Rin’s nose would start bleeding or his head would start to hurt Sousuke would take care of him. He could almost feel Rin’s hands running through his hair, or the sound of Rin’s laughter when Sousuke would kiss him for too long, or the gentle flutter of his eyelashes when he woke up every morning. He remembered it all- just at the mention of Rin’s name.

“Rin’s safe,” Sousuke croaked, and that sentence made everything a lot less scarier.

Hazuki looked at him, his eyes widening if only for a moment, before they narrowed. Sousuke saw a single tear in the small boy’s eyes before he rushed out, cursing and yelling confused slurs under his breath.

 

Sousuke breathed, letting his shoulders touch the floor- his arms somewhat uncomfortable behind him, but he didn't mind. He panted, shuttering at each sharp inhale, pain blossoming in his lungs and throat where he felt like his body was in the process of drying and shriveling up.

He decided not to focus on the pain, the scarlet splatters of blood all over the floor, or Hazuki’s cruel torture, and instead he focused on the fact that Rin was safe in his bed, his arms without bruises or scratches, and that he was nowhere near the line of fire, probably sleeping somewhere. Sousuke would die before Iwatobi got anywhere near Rin.

Nomatter how terrified he was, he wasn’t going to let anything happen to him.

  


/**/

“Haru.”

Haru’s head snapped back to look towards the bed as soon as he heard the weak, tiny whimper that no-doubt belonged to Makoto. Haru stared, if only for a minute- before Makoto called out for him again in a mumbled, broken whine. “Haruka..”

Haru near stumbled over to the bed, leaping onto it and smoothly cupping Makoto’s heavy jaw to see those green eyes flickering behind fluttering eyelids. Haru’s smile was almost immediate, he had missed that mix of deep green that reminded him of home. Nothing else could recreate the color that was Makoto’s eyes. “Hey, hey,” Haru repeated softly, running a hand through Makoto’s soft hair. The boy grimaced- undoubtedly all grumpy and tired from his five days of non-stop-napping.

Haru only knew Makoto was going to have a tough time recovering. Not only was he a baby when he got a cold, but Haru knew how terrible he felt after he had a correction- and he was already used to it. This was Makoto’s first time.

Makoto let out a long, deep moan, “Haru-” He breathed again, “What, what the fuck.”

It was funny to hear Makoto swear. He really only did when he was half-awake, and now was one of those times. He sounded so utterly genuine too.... He was probably confused as hell.

“I know,” Haru comforted him, laying down neatly besides him in his bed. Makoto was shaking underneath his covers, only slightly- he was probably cold.  Haru settled under his covers and eased his boyfriend closer, or at least, he tried to, because as he pulled Makoto closer his dead weight rocked back right into the position he was before. Makoto was completely limp, and he felt like a lifeless- though soft- boulder. Haru huffed, hearing Makoto let out a low whine- a sign he wasn’t moving, and Haru shuffled closer himself.

He tucked Makoto’s head to his chest, carding his fingers through his soft waves of hair.

“Mh, Haru,” Makoto whined softly, his only movements were soft twitches- his words sounded slurred as if he hardly had enough energy to speak. “Ha-Haru-” He sounded slightly panicked despite the thickness in his voice. Haru knew that feeling well. The feeling of not remembering anything but knowing something was terribly wrong, that he was missing something, and his whole body felt sore and tired. No matter how hard he tried to remember he couldn't.

“You’re okay,” Haru whispered, “Shh..” Makoto moaned- irritated. He was frustrated with being told to calm down. Makoto was frustrated with the situation. “You were just corrected, Makoto, It’s normal.”

Makoto shivered, letting out a harsh breath like Haru had cursed at him or something.

“It’s okay,” Haru said- knowing Makoto also didn't like the idea of seizing. Haru knew how bad it scared Makoto. “It’s kinda scary, I know.”

“Hurts-” Makoto mumbled, his body tensing up completely. “-Feel so weak..”

“I know, just relax, okay?” Haru said, “You need to rest.” He knew how this worked- he knew the heavier the person the more shit Iwatobi would pump them with to get rid of the thoughts of rebellion. Not only would they wipe his memory clean, but Haru knew the process not only made them weak but Iwatobi did it intentionally- so they’d stay subdued so the scientists could keep close watch on them and make sure they didn't do anything. And with Makoto’s size, and his persuasion over the team, Haru knew he was going to be extra sick and out for a while.

Haru felt Makoto nuzzle into his neck with another heavy sigh, snuggling up against him- Makoto’s stiff body relaxing.

“That’s it, rest up..”

“Thank you, hun,” Makoto whispered, heat immediately rising to Haru’s cheeks with the simple words and the small, endearing term. It was rare Haru would hear such a word come from Makoto’s lips, words of love were not accepted around here. Makoto’s sweet  words were thick and slurred, but Haru could still understand his voice as clear as day.

Haru planned on staying with him. Waiting out the day's until Makoto got better. Because that's exactly what Makoto would do with Haru when he was out- every time Haru would wake up from a groggy haze, Makoto’s big, strong arms would be around him and remind him that he was safe. Makoto would sneak him extra food, and come in and talk with him, and when Haru felt okay enough to walk, Makoto would stick by his side and hold his hand. A few times Makoto even carried him around Iwatobi, bringing him outside to the weapon yard so he could get some fresh air. Makoto was the best. Haru wanted to at least return the favour, especially with how... Cruel he had been that night..

The next few days consisted of Haru being by his side, watching Makoto slowly wake up and gather his thoughts, telling him stories and trying to occupy him and keep him entertained the best way he could.

He had walked into Makoto’s room many times to just see him sitting on the floor with an aggravated expression- and Haru would help him back into bed.

“I thought I could do it,” He would say- “I really thought I could get up this time.”

“I know,” Haru would reply, trying to stay patient as helping Makoto up really was a task, “You just gotta rest for a while, alright?”

Haru knew Makoto hated staying put. All Makoto did was walk around, check in on everyone and hang out in the weapon yard. Staying put probably made him feel vulnerable. The more Makoto gained consciousness, the more he seemed to grow agitated. Makoto couldn’t help it, Haru knew how much of a sweetie he was- and if he was a normal person he wouldn't be acting that way. But the scientists made Makoto to be angry, made him so that if he sensed anything was wrong his first thought would be to anger.  It was probably why Makoto had such a knack for details and had weird, specific needs- but other than that he was rather laid back and calm.

Haru hated seeing him sick. Hated watching the way he would tremble even when buried under blankets, hated hearing him start coughing in the middle of the night, hated finding him trying to walk but he couldn't. Hated how angry Makoto would get with himself, watch him tremble with not only the cold but rage that he didn't know how to release.

Haru knew he was the only person Makoto was seeing. Nobody else stopped by. Nagisa was busy with his new torture method since Haru refused to look Yamazaki in the eye- and Rei stayed away due to the strange voice in his head that told him he wasn't wanted.

Haru sat around the weapon yard alone a lot when he wasn’t in Makoto’s room. It was painful not hearing Makoto’s voice chattering softly behind him. Makoto was almost always out here. He was happiest when he could see the sky. Haru didn't know why he was so much more pleasant, but all he knew was that the open sky looked a lot less interesting when Makoto wasn't around.

Also lunch? Lunch wasn’t just a lack of amusement anymore, but instead it was full out hell without Makoto’s strong, but yet level-headed words there to cool everything down.

The four soldiers almost always sat together. Now that they were reduced to three Haru felt strangely unwelcomed despite loving both Nagisa and Rei to pieces. It was something about Nagisa- something about the way he was doing something that set Haru off. At first as Haru approached the table they normally sat at in the mess hall with his tray of mediocre food he thought possibly it was just him being tired. But, after about five minutes of eating in mostly silence with Nagisa and Rei, Haru couldn’t take it anymore.

“Whats wrong?” Haru nearly snapped, demanding an answer. Nagisa looked up from his tray- his mouth half way over a forkful of salad dripping with ranch dressing, like he knew Haru was talking to him.

“What do you mean?” Nagisa asked.

“You’re doing that, thing,” Haru spat, Rei sinking down in his seat from the other side of the table, “You’re eating funny or something. Like, you’re on edge.”

Nagisa scoffed, which, only made Rei sink down in his seat more. Haru thought maybe the tallest boy was melting into his chair. “Makoto’s attention to detail is really starting to rub off on you, huh?” Nagisa asked, the amount of spite in his voice making Haru’s own tummy bubble with anxiety. “If you gotta know, Haru-chan, me and Rei are going on a mission-”

“Rei and I,” Rei corrected- in the most terrified little mewl- which if Makoto was here he would’ve laughed at that because Rei’s need to correct Nagisa’s grammar issues were stronger than his fear.

“Rei and I are going on a mission,” Nagisa moaned, “You and Makoto were supposed to go on it but now the both of you are a mess, so, it’s up to me and the nerd who hasn’t stepped foot outside of this place in five years.”

“I-” Rei started, but Nagisa was quick to cut them off.

“Before you say anything Rei-chan, I meant you haven’t been on a ground mission in over five years.” Rei didn't detest to that, and Nagisa continued. “ I don’t blame him- sure, I go out with you guys ,but I’m always on a rooftop or something. Do you know badly not being in the air messes me up? The higher you are up the more power you have, Haru-chan. Also, Rei is a baby.”

Rei gawked in his seat- apparently not terrified of the argument that was hiding around the corner anymore.

“Why don’t just you and me go?” Haru prodded, tapping his fingers on the table. He really wasnt hungry, he was planning on sneaking his food to Makoto. “I’m fine.”

Rei and Nagisa both exchanged this look that made Haru glare.

“With all do respect, Haruka-” Rei started, but Nagisa promptly finished his sentence.

“You look like shit, Haru-chan.” Nagisa deadpanned, and Haru snorted in disbelief. Sure, he hadnt been sleeping much. He had been crawling into Makoto’s bed every night and waiting for him to wake up, just so Haru could shush him back to sleep or kiss his lips. Also, sure- Haru hadn’t been eating very much either, so he could sneak his food to Makoto.

That’s when Haru realized that Nagisa and Rei were totally right.

“Sasabe told me that in your so called-” Nagisa paused to do quotation marks with his fingers in the air- “sensitive state,” Nagisa continued, “he doesn’t want to push you.” Nagisa stuck his tongue out, “You and Mako-chan are real disgusting, you know that?”

Before Haru even had time to throw a slew of curses across the table, Rei piped in with his own thoughts, “It makes sense, Nagisa-kun! Those two were friends long before we were ever introduced to the program. Haruka-san is probably just sharing the pain. If you know someone well enough, it’s said that you experience the same thing they’re going through without-”

Nagisa than cut him off, like the two were children arguing for a remote- “It’s gross!” Nagisa shouted. “I’ve heard them when they hang out together, it’s gross, Makoto calls him baby and handsome and all that cheesy shit, and the worst thing is they kiss super loud.” Haru growled at him, narrowing his eyes at Nagisa- and Nagisa only glared back, but with a flare of amusement in those twinkling eyes of his.

“Don’t talk about Makoto like that,” Haru threatened, “He’s sick and hurt, I’m just taking care of him. You two haven't even visited him.”

Rei once again sank further in his chair- “I’m only trying to respect his privacy-” Rei defended weakly. Rei hated being told he was wrong. Haru knew deep down that boy really strived for greatness, so much so that being wrong was devastating to him.

“Im busy,” Nagisa growled, “I know you think this place is some joke, Haru-chan, but I’m trying to take down samezuka while you're busy kissing your boyfriend all day.” Suddenly the sound of Nagisa’s chair screeching against the cold floor was heard, and Nagisa was standing, slapping his hands against the table. “This Yamazaki guy has been a real pain in the ass to get through to.”

“Oh, yeah,” Haru growled, his voice going nearly an octave lower as he stood up as well, glaring at Nagisa from across the small, round table, “Sure, I’m wasting my time by helping our captain back on his feet,” Haru sneered, “The only guy who stops this sort of fighting, the guy who cares for us no matter what- A big waste of time, huh?”

“Makoto can figure it out on his own,” Nagisa returned, “You should be eating and sleeping and going on this damn mission instead of me.”

“Now, c’mon you two,” Rei stuttered- trying desperately to fill the void that Makoto left empty, but the thing was Rei’s voice lacked all the power and strength that Makoto carried. Soon, the lanky male was scrambling away from the table as Nagisa shot him a death look.

“Rei’s gonna get security,” Haru said, trying to smoothen his voice as Nagisa shivered with a angry huff, “So you better cut this out.”

“Does it really matter, Haru?” Nagisa nearly sighed, “They can’t do anymore shit to us than what they’ve already done. They’ve messed me up, and they’ve certainly messed you up- it doesn’t matter.” Nagisa pushed in his chair so forcefully that the table rattled, and Haru found himself backing up, “What does matter is taking down Samezuka and getting Rin back. And you’re no help if you’re sitting with Makoto who’s fine on his own.”

“You don’t understand,” Haru sneered, “He’s fragile.”

“We were so close,” Nagisa said- then, suddenly, Haru realized it. The bitter tone in his voice, the agitation he held when he spoke Makoto’s name- it was all because Nagisa wanted Rin back and blamed Makoto for failing the mission.

Nagisa wasn’t the same after they took Rin. It was like he realized that his little ‘family’ could be torn apart at any moment. Possibly, bringing Rin back would cure all his anxieties.

Haru wanted Rin back too. He did. Rin’s capture didn't only mess Nagisa up- possibly, Haru grew distant from everyone when Rin left- but, Haru’s hands balled into fists when he came to the realization.

“Nagisa,” Haru said lowly, “Your not blaming Makoto, are you?”

Nagisa opened his mouth, but only briefly. His eyebrows twitched- knitting together tight as he stared down Haru, his expression unmoving. His hands- tense, gripping the edge of the table.

“I miss Rin too,” Haru said, trying desperately to soften his voice- thought that only made it tenser. Haru wasn’t good at taking care of people. That was Makoto’s thing. Haru wanted to punch Nagisa so hard he was seeing stars- but, Haru loved Nagisa, and he... Wouldn't do that. “And we’re going to get him back, I promise-”

“He could’ve been back by now.”

Alright. Fuck trying to be caring. Haru was at Nagisa’s throat in seconds- pouncing like a cat and easily leaping over the table, his heavy boots coming in heavy contact with Nagisa’s chest, knocking both boys to the ground. Nagisa only let out a pained wheeze as he hit the ground, and Haru grabbed him by the shoulders, gripping him tight to let Nagisa know he wasn’t done.

“Don’t you dare blame this on him,” Haru hissed, digging his fingernails into Nagisa’s t shirt until he could feel them pierce the skin underneath.

Nagisa didn't wince, his eyes stayed unblinking and wide as he looked up at Haru- but, it wasn’t out of shock. Glassy. Bored, almost. Nagisa could take a fair share of pain- Haru had seen him get shot in the back once and Nagisa kept trekking until he got back to base- but normally he’d have some sort of emotional reaction. Haru expected either anger or sadness or something, but there was nothing behind his eyes.

“I wished someone loved me like you love him.” Nagisa whispered, and thats when Haru heard the crack in his voice- saw his brain bubbling back to life in the form of sadness. Haru’s grip on Nagisa turned from hateful to loving, and Haru let out the softest gasp.

Haru didn't really understand Nagisa. Sometimes he was a complete mystery. Now was one of those times, and all Haru knew was that he was sad.

Haru pulled Nagisa up into a hug, clutching his upperbody to his chest. Nagisa’s face was wet with tears by the time Haru even thought to pull him into a hug, and by the time Haru was holding him, Nagisa was howling into his chest.

Had he really just hurt Nagisa?

“I’m sorry,” Haru whispered, “I’m really sorry.” Haru rested his head on top Nagisa’s mop of curls- digging his nose into an endless sea of blonde, whispering soft apologies into his hair as the boy cried. Haru knew others were watching- scientists, simple policemen- no one understood this. No one had quite been through what the four boys had been through, and Haru knew that. Groomed to seem perfect on the outside, loyal, unwilling to do anything but serve- tortured and broken to the point of obedience , no one here knew how that felt. Haru knew that, but, he didn't understand Nagisa’s exact sadness. Bringing Rin back wouldn't change anything but their happiness. Haru didn't understand.Haru almost did, he could tell- he was so close to understanding whatever Nagisa was going through, but Haru was bad at emotions and he didn't get it. He couldn’t understand. Just whispering soft apologies to Nagisa was all he could really do.

Haru cupped Nagisa’s cheeks, looking at the crying boy square in the eyes- “I’m sorry, Nagisa.” He said, his voice firm, “I didn’t, I didn't mean to kick you.”

“I know,” Nagisa hiccuped, his words nearly lost in his cries. Nagisa said something else, but it came across as useless babble and Haru just pulled him back into the hug- shushing him stiffly.

It wasnt long until Rei came racing back- he really was a fast runner, those long legs propelled him between the tables scattered around the mess hall like a very coordinated bullet. Following him were two guards- but they seemed rather uninterested when they saw Nagisa and Haru hugging.

Rei was already apologising when he stopped. “I’m sorry, I thought you two were going to fight, I’m very, sincerely sorry- I’m-”

“It’s okay, Rei,” Haru said stiffly, looking up at Rei. He was stricken with worry even though he had only been standing there for a few seconds at the very most.

Haru shot a look at the two guards- covered with body armour in head to toe, tranquilizers at their holsters, “You may be dismissed.” Haru hissed at them both, narrowing his eyes.

The two guards stared at him- Haru was in no way their boss, if anything they were the boss of Haru- but, once Haru repeated himself they went on their way, grumbling some curses at Rei for making them miss their lunch break.

Nagisa was wiggling away from Haru- wiping his eyes and gasping for air. “Oh Nagisa-kun,” Rei murmured, kneeling down to Haru and Nagisa’s level, “What happened?”

“Nothing-” Nagisa gasped, but Haru decided to answer truthfully.

“I kicked him.” Haru replied. Rei looked decently shocked.

“It’s not that-” Nagisa hiccuped, wiping his eyes vigorously as he went to curl up into himself, “But he can’t help it, so I don’t want to talk about it.” The whites of Nagia’s eyes were almost as red as his irises were.

“You sure?” Rei questioned softly, and Nagisa nodded. The three boys were basically sitting in an emotional circle, Rei’s long legs desperately trying to crisscross instead of being awkwardly splayed out in front of him. Nagisa leaned on Rei, putting his head on Rei’s skinnier shoulder.

Than, a shrill bell sounded off in the messhall- signalling the end of lunch.

Rei was helping Nagisa to his feet, patting his back and wrapping a supportive arm around the shorter boy’s shoulders. “Let’s get you cleaned up,” Rei said, and Nagisa nodded hesitantly. His face was blotched with red from crying, his eyes still watering.

Haru followed, wandering outside of the messhall with them- following in close pursuit. He assumed they were going to the showers, and Haru wanted to tag along due to it being his fault Nagisa had cried. He followed close behind, just hovering around the two other figures and moping- crossing his arms and shuffling forward behind Rei.

They were almost at the showers when Haru noticed a familiar figure quickly walking towards them- and Haru knew that he was looking at them when he saw that fiery, orange stare look back at him.

“Boys!” Called an overly jolly voice, and Haru let go of a breath- knowing they weren't in trouble. He halted, and so did Rei and Nagisa. Nagisa was hastily wiping his eyes- and Rei’s grip tightened around him. Nagisa was scared.

“It’s fine, he seems happy,” Haru leaned over to murmur to the blonde, receiving a soft nod from Nagisa.

Sasabe was panting when he came to a stop, sporting a hawaiian shirt and orange pants that Haru had no clue where he got them- and they were almost blinding to Haru who was used to dull monochromes and soft, washed out pastels. “Oh, what happened?” Sasabe asked as he stopped a few feet infront of the three boys, glancing at Nagisa who was trying to bury himself into Rei’s shoulder.

“Ah!” Rei piped up quickly, covering Nagisa, “We’re just a bit lost without our captain is all. We’ve never really lost him like this before! Though I think if this happens again we’ll be used to it.”

Haru nodded, patting Rei’s back to say to him; _Good Cover._ Technically, it was true, they were a mess without Makoto. But, mainly the reason for that tangle was because Haru was a mess without Makoto and Nagisa was testy after losing Rin.

“Ah,” Sasabe chimed, “Don’t worry about that though, it won’t happen again.”

Something about those words chilled Haru to the core. ‘It won't happen again’- something didn’t feel right. Apparently it wasn’t just Haru’s nonstop worrying over Makoto, because he saw Rei’s eyes squint questioningly behind his glasses.

“Anyhow, you two can go clean up-” Sasabe said, shaking his head as he gestured to Nagisa and Rei. Rei saluted him- almost weakly, and let out a tiny ‘yes sir.’ “-And Haru, you’re coming with me.”

Sasabe didn't have to say anything else. Haru parted from his friends, not giving so much as a wave as he left Nagisa and Rei to go on their way.

Sasabe crossed his arms behind his back at they walked through the halls- whistling softly for a few minutes before Haru worked up the courage to -politely- ask where they were going.

“Oh! Sorry,” Sasabe snorted, him and Haru’s boots tapping in rhythm on the cold floor, “See, we uhm, gave Makoto a new treatment to help, you know, preventing resets,” Sasabe said. Haru would’ve lunged at that- he should’ve, he knew what ‘treatment’ meant and it chilled him to the bone to see an already sick Makoto being put through something terrible. But, Haru had received many ‘treatments’ of his own, so Sasabe’s words only brought worry to his mind. “And, having you around is real beneficial for him, so I just want you to go see him. Easy, right?”

Haru nodded solemnly, before looking up at Sasabe. He seemed completely unphased- a pep in his step, his orange eyes gleaming with life. “Is Makoto okay?” Haru asked, his voice merely reduced to a frightened whisper- he sounded like a small child fearing punishment.

“Yeah, he’ll be fine,” Sasabe dismissed, “He’s a little shaken, nothing a little TLC can’t fix, right Haru?” Sasabe nudged Haru’s side, his grin wide.

“Yes sir,” Haru murmured, nodding respectfully in turn. Sasabe’s grin widened- no doubt marveling over what a work of art Haru had become. A truly talented man, and with that rebellious spite wiped off of his personality, Haru was the perfect soldier. Haru knew that was the reason why they didn't get rid of him after the 30th reset- he was far too valuable to them. Deep down, Haru’s anger boiled and bubbled like an enraged dragon- begging to be let out- still never tamed. But, it had retreated so deep inside of him after all these years, he could no longer feel it.

Haru let out a soft breath as he approached Makoto’s door- hearing silence behind it. He desperately tried to reach Makoto- tell him through some magical telepathy that he was coming in since Haru was afraid to find what was on the other side. But, he got no response, probably because he didn't actually have telepathy.

Before he could pause to knock, Sasabe was pushing Haru in- giving him a small wink and a shout of ‘have fun!’ to Haru before shutting the door behind him. Haru almost clung to the door, almost scraped his nails at the heavy steel door like a cat scratching to get out. But, Haru sucked in his fear.

Haru didn't always understand Makoto. Makoto was like a storm- his waters passable when he was calm and at peace- but nearly unrecognizable when he became angry and unstable. Those times scared Haru- he didn't like feeling like he didn't understand what Makoto was thinking. He didn't like not understanding Makoto, since Makoto was the only person he understood.

Haru took a deep breath, stepping forward- Makoto existed in the room as a pile of blankets collapsed on his bed, wrapped up and facing away from Haru, his brown hair thick and falling behind him in messy waves.

“Makoto.” Haru asked, his voice firm at first. But, when he didn't get an answer, his voice softened further- forming a pathetic mewl- “Makoto?”

No response, again. Haru swallowed wetly. “Is it okay that i’m here?” Haru asked- he didn't really know why he asked that because he, again, didn't get a response.

Haru hadn’t felt like this in a long time. It had been a while since they had really done anything to Makoto, and he acted just like this. The first few times he would cry, hug Haru and cry- but that was when they were small. The last time Haru recalled them doing this to Makoto was when he shouted at one of the guards to stop handling Nagisa roughly or something- Haru forgot the whole story- which was around two years ago. That time it wasn’t even that bad.

Haru walked around the bed, shuffling his feet as he faintly ran his hands over Makoto’s shape under the blankets- before finding his face. Haru slid his hands over the soft angle of Makoto’s heavy jaw- feeling the fuzzy prick of the facial hair that had started to grow there. Makoto’s eyes looked dead. His eyes were flat- the green of his eyes almost entirely taken over by his pupils which were heavily dilated. Makoto took a moment, but his head finally shifted just enough to turn up to look at Haru- the black of his eyes growing and shrinking at least twice before focusing on Haru’s face. The unnatural display made Haru shake.

“Hey,” Haru breathed, really unsure of what else to say.

“Hey,” Makoto replied in nearly the same whisper-like tone.

“Do you,” Haru paused to think, “Do you want me here?”

“Yes,” Makoto didn't hesitate, and the way he hung onto the ‘s’ on the end of his word made him sound like a hissing machine. Unnatural. All of it was unnatural.

“Are you going to be okay?” Haru asked, his grip tensing on Makoto’s head. A bad question. But, Makoto still answered it, like he would any other question.

He squeezed his eyes shut, opening them, and then he shut them again. “Yeah.” He shivered. “I’ll be alright,” Makoto sounded like he was throwing up his words, his throat so constricted around them that Haru winced.

“What did they do?” Haru asked, Makoto groaning softly as he pulled away from Haru’s grip simply to make room for his boyfriend on the bed. Haru kept his voice as the softest whisper, afraid he’d set Makoto off- “or do you not wanna talk about it?” Haru crawled into Makoto’s bed with him. It smelt like irritation and sickness- not Makoto’s normally comforting scent.

Makoto closed his eyes- “I’m,” He paused, “Not sure.” He repeated. “It’s all kinda fuzzy.” Makoto opened his eyes again as he pulled his arm out from under the blankets, gesturing to a little bandage on his shoulder, “I remember this, but you can guess what that is.”

Haru sighed, peeling back the loose bandage- finding the little red dot he expected to be there. “They’re going to kill you if they keep doing that.” Haru snorted, “Putting even more steroids into you is just going to make you more sick, don’t they know that?”  Haru heard the faintest ringing in his ears and decided to not question it. Makoto had gotten really sick off of them once, the doctors said he was fine but Haru knew he was pretty close to near-death. “You look scared,” Haru noted softly, running his hand over Makoto’s jaw again, trying to hide his wince as he touched the hairs on Makoto’s face. Yuck... Haru would have to help him shave later.

“Yeah,” Makoto replied, his eyebrows knitting together- his glance flittered to the side. Shame. He was ashamed.

“Makoto,” Haru grunted, nearly glaring at him. Makoto flinched under his grip. “Don’t be like that. It’s okay to be scared,” Haru firmed, but Makoto looked back at him with an accusing glare of his own. Like, ‘how dare you say that’. Because, even Haru knew they tried to eliminate Makoto’s softness. He had it ever since he was a child- despite being moldable and soft as a kid, who would listen to nearly any command, he was weak. Makoto was fragile, and Haru could tell despite the smile he always wore- Makoto was emotional. He was an empath, naturally- and the scientists needed a team leader who wouldn't crack under pressure.

Haru remembered the day they finally broke Makoto. He was fourteen- and instead of returning to Haru in tears, he met Haru with a soft smile and said ‘hey’. Haru remembered the fear in his eyes. Ever since than, Makoto tried forced down his anxiety and his natural need to be a softie- he had no other choice but to- and being scared was considered a weakness to him.

Haru paused. “Why did they..?” Haru asked, but Makoto cut him off.

“They think I’m getting too soft again.” Makoto said coldly, “They told me none of that would’ve happened if I didn't get emotional around Rin. Which is.. True.” Makoto bit his lip. Haru grunted in irritation- that wasn’t true.

“You’re just like that naturally, that’s your personality, Makoto,” Haru said, “You get emotional easy. That’s not a bad thing.”

“They certainly don’t beileve that, they tased me at least ten times.”

The way he said that was too casual. “Makoto!” Haru gawked, though, he went silent as soon as Makoto flinched at the volume.

“I’m used to it,” Makoto grumbled, sounding exasperated. Haru had seen it before- Makoto getting tasered- really it was the only way they could subdue him without putting him to sleep. Because when Makoto panicked- he really panicked. It was no wonder that he had, he was sick and vulnerable and had days of pent up energy and aggression in his body.

Haru ran his hands through Makoto’s hair- “I’m sorry I wasn’t there,” He apologised quietly, and Makoto smiled sadly and shook his head.

“Don’t apologise for something like that,” Makoto whispered, “I know this hasn’t happened in a while, but i’ll be fine.” It was Makoto’s turn to touch Haru’s face- gently running his rough knuckles along the soft curve of Haru’s cheek, tan skin brushing against milky white. Soon, knuckles were replaced by Makoto’s lips, they surprisingly soft compared to Makoto’s knuckles. In every kiss Makoto gave to Haru existed the softness that Makoto never displayed on the outside. His gentle, nurturing nature that had been forced away due to electrical shocks and the non stop torture when they were younger.

Haru saw Makoto’s expression falter as he pulled away, his eyes twitching.

“You were scared, huh?” Haru mumbled, and Makoto nodded. The kiss to his cheek was almost grateful- Makoto was grateful that he got the pleasure of seeing Haru again. Makoto probably thought they were going to kill him. Throw him away since he was no longer the loyal dog they thought he was. “It’s okay, it’s over.” Haru rasped, petting the soft edges of Makoto’s hair.

“I know,” Makoto’s voice suddenly broke as he said that. Haru did not allow a single word to come out of Makoto’s lips before he pulled him into a hug, pulling Makoto’s head into his chest and holding him there.

“Shh,” Haru hushed softly- more so telling his own racing thoughts to be quiet as his other hand wrapped tight around Makoto’s sturdy hip, “Relax.”

Makoto let out a sigh, his whole body trembling with the release of breath, the warmth of it tickling Haru’s collar. Than, he relaxed. It was so easy for Haru- no one else could possibly do this, no science, no training. Haru could silence him and his thoughts with a simple touch, and Makoto could do the same for Haru.

Haru laid there for a great time- his limbs intertwined with his lover’s, and eventually, the two boys fell asleep.

/ ** /

 

“Rei-chan.”

Rei looked up from where he was organizing some of Nagisa’s clothes- folding the mess that had been haphazardly thrown into his dresser in the past. Despite the messy way Nagisa put his clothes away, all of his clothes were clean- and instead of the blacks and greys the other three boys wore, Nagisa had colorful clothes- despite the colors being very washed out- it was nice looking at the faded pinks and yellows of his clothing.

“Yes, Nagisa?” Rei tipped his head up. Nagisa’s eyes were still puffy, though Rei only saw them as a pink blur due to the fact that his glasses had been playfully placed on one of Nagisa’s penguin stuffed animals. His bad eyesight was due to an experiment that had backfired- something that was meant to make his eyes more durable so he could stare at things longer, but the chemical they put into his eyes ended up scalding his eyes. The only physical proof of this was a falter in his left iris- white invading a slice of purple, it resembled somewhat of a tear in his deep violet eyes.

Nagisa puffed out his cheeks as if Rei had insulted him. “I don’t know.” He answered defensively. Rei sighed, going back to quietly folding Nagisa’s clothes. Nagisa could be strange when he got emotional. A rather feisty boy- but, Rei didn't mind one bit. Him and Nagisa had gotten very close throughout the years.

When the boy’s got to a certain point, they were hired into the program and started working professionally under Iwatobi. Sure- they were all made and crafted in a lab to be perfect for the job, but the five boys who initially made it into the program weren’t the only ones who were made for the job. As far as Rei knew- there was four others, all of whom didn't make the cut, and were presumably ‘thrown out’. Makoto and Haru trained together as children and officially joined the program at age ten, Rin only months after- Nagisa came in at age ten two years later, and Rei came in three years after Nagisa at eleven.

He was.. Late to say the least. He hardly remembered Rin all that much, he hadn’t gotten the chance to train with him, and only spent a couple of years with him. Rei always had trouble fitting into the group , but Nagisa was the one who opened up to him almost immediately.

Rei was a grumpy kid- uptight and unwilling to make friends, but Nagisa changed all that. Though Rei was annoyed by the bubbly blonde for a year, the annoyance payed off- and he appreciated and loved his team members as if they were a family.

He had more than enough patience for the emotional blonde. Even when that blonde took Rei’s glasses to gift better eyesight to a stuffed penguin.

Rei began to hum to himself, finishing the pile of clothes. He stood, lifting the soft clothes and neatly placing them back in Nagisa’s dresser. “Now Nagisa, try to be neater, okay? It will be of great use to you, it’ll be much easier to find what you’re looking for.” Rei instructed softly, sounding like a caring mother, “Also, it just looks a lot cleaner-”

“Rei,” Nagisa interrupted, his voice sounding a little more frail than it had the first time Nagisa called for him.

“Yes?” Rei turned, pushing Nagisa’s dresser drawers shut.

Nagisa had moved the penguin plush, still adorned with Rei’s glasses, to his lap- his thin arms loosely hung around it’s stomach which was fat with stuffing. He closed his eyes, his grip tightening briefly on the stuffed animal.

“Promise me you’ll never leave me, Rei-chan.” Nagisa whispered.

Rei straightened out, his mouth agape. He found a smile, though, softly grinning at the blonde boy who looked up at him through his long lashes. “It’s a promise,” Rei said with a nod, “I will never leave you, Nagisa-kun.”

Rei could see the blurry form of Nagisa’s smile.

Though, Rei’s eyesight returned when Nagisa got off his bed and shuffled towards Rei, Nagisa gently placing the red glasses back onto Rei’s face. Rei blinked a few times, adjusting to the suddenly normal vision his glasses provided- before staring down at Nagisa’s small grin. His eye were still pink and puffy- nose bright red from crying, but he looked pleased.

“Thank you,” Rei elated, seeing a glimpse of Nagisa’s teeth through his grin. Soft hands found Rei’s back, his arms wrapping around Rei’s hips and his head pressing to Rei’s chest. A hug. Something Rei didn't often have to luxury of receiving.

Rei wrapped his arms around Nagisa’s back, crossing his arms over the soft curve of Nagisa’s shoulderblades.

Nagisa pulled back after a few minutes of friendly warmth- “Rei-chan,” He repeated, grasping Rei’s hand. Nagisa had baby soft skin- all except for the tips of his fingers, which were rough from pulling hard triggers and constantly handling the power of a gun. Rei’s hands were longer than Nagisa’s- long and bony, skilled and trained to handle things gently but quickly. Nagisa’s hand squeezed his tight, and Rei was suddenly being pulled out of Nagisa’s room- “Let’s go on a walk, Rei-chan”

Rei nodded, and happily followed Nagisa out into the colorless, cold hall, Nagisa’s hands warm as they tangled up in Rei’s own hands.

 

/**/

 

Sousuke expected to see the small, blonde figure he was used to as he heard the door creak open. He had been used to the white of the room, only mixed with the occasional piercingly bright blonde hair, and those devilish pinkish eyes. So the warm colors of a gentle brown and a eerily natural shade of forest green startled him.

When Sousuke met his eyes- he immediately knew who he was being faced with. Tachibana Makoto. A legend, someone he had only witnessed in person at a far distance, someone who had a reputation for hitting so hard he could kill the average person with a single punch.

Sousuke always imagined how meeting Tachibana would go down. It was always a glorious battle- the two powerhouses of both teams going at it to defend what they loved.

But, in person, Tachibana was truly terrifying.

Sousuke wasn’t sure if it was because he was forced to kneel by the chains on his wrist that were fastened tightly to a post, or if it was because Tachibana was really, actually horrifying. Probably a mix of both. Tachibana was someone who caused so much distress whilst speaking about him back home in Samezuka, maybe Sousuke was finally realizing who he had been messing with.

Sousuke had been sitting before, but he dropped to the floor upon seeing the other, his head pressed to the cold floor that was stained in his own blood and spit.

Sousuke clenched his eyes shut. They had never sent Tachibana in before. This was it- Sousuke was going to die. Tachibana was going to kill him as a twisted act of revenge. Sousuke’s heart beat so hard that his vision started to flicker.

“Yamazaki.” Tachibana’s voice was surprisingly soft. Though, it was far from caring. His emotion was cold, but his voice itself was gentle, surprisingly loft. Sousuke shivered at the tone, still petrified over Tachibana’s presence. He was huge, wracked with muscle- sure. But, the real terror was held within his eyes, drooped and scarily natural for the cold, stilted reputation Iwatobi had. “Yamazaki!” Tachibana yelled this time, making it clear he wanted Sousuke’s attention.

Sousuke unwillingly looked up at the other large male. His teal eyes met Tachibana’s.

It was than, through two swollen eyes- Sousuke noticed the crutches under Tachibana’s arms. He leaned on them heavily, clearly the only thing keeping the boy upright. His face pale, his eyes slightly bloodshot due to something Sousuke couldn’t identify.

Tachibana was not here to kill him. Tachibana was clearly injured in some way, and if he depended on those crutches to stand, there was no way he had enough energy to kill him. Though, Sousuke shivered with fear when he met Tachibana’s eyes.

Tachibana rocked back onto his crutches, lifting one foot to nearly caress the left side of Sousuke’s face with his boot. Though, Sousuke knew very well what Tachibana was doing. He was looking at Sousuke’s injuries- and deep inside Sousuke’s terrified core, he felt rage and embarrassment bubble up in his gut. Though, that probably didn't show- due to Sousuke’s wide eyes and his chest heaving as he gasped for air.

Tachibana pressed his boot to the other side of Sousuke’s face, making Sousuke unwillingly turn his head so Tachibana’s green eyes could survey the damage on the right side of Sousuke’s face. Sousuke did not know the extent of his injuries. He knew he was in pain, he knew he was dehydrated. The most he could claim for certain was that his knees were completely raw and limp due to kneeling on them all day- and that his left eye was swollen so bad that it was almost completely shut. His right eye was as well- but not to the extent as its match. His nose was, probably, broken- but he couldn’t be certain.

Tachibana smiled. Though, it was not the same kind of smile that Hazuki wore. Hazuki’s smile was that of pleasure- happy he was taking back what he thought had been taken from him. Tachibana’s smile was sad. Filled with sympathy, and he seemed although he was almost attempting to comfort Sousuke with the soft smile. Though, it only made Sousuke scrunch backwards, his heart felt like a bird trying to escape its cage. Sousuke was, basically, holding back his bladder from basically wetting himself right here. Sure- he had done it before, but he didn't want to seem even more pathetic than he was in front of Tachibana.

Tachibana held a power with him that made Sousuke duck away, he wanted to cry like a baby and hide under the covers from him.

“Sit up,” Tachibana demanded- but it wasn’t only his voice that was soft. His tone, despite the demand, was gentle. ‘I won’t hurt you’, is what it said.

Sousuke sat up, only due to the fear that Tachibana would still hurt him.

As he did, Tachibana’s crutches clicked against the floor as he moved behind Sousuke. Sousuke was now moving forward as much as he could, trying to squirm away from Tachibana due to the fear of having his spine broken, bile rising in his throat.

Though, all the fear dropped as soon as his wrists were suddenly free. Though, without those chains, Sousuke couldn’t support himself and he collided with the floor, his head making a sturdy slamming noise when he hit the hard tile.

Sousuke winced silently, trying to push himself up with his upper body. He was weak- his arms taut from being constantly pinned behind him, and his knees basically locked in the position they had been in for the past two weeks.  Though, as soon as he put pressure on his wrists he felt pain explode inside his veins, and Sousuke yelped, his vision going blurry as his arms went limp.

“Relax,” Tachibana said softly, “Your wrists are starting to get infected.” To confirm Tachibana’s words- Sousuke glanced through his wavering vision at his arms, which had been badly sliced up from the handcuffs. The cut was puffy and red, though their was no blood that stained it- instead, a green, cloudy substance stuck to his wrists and the edges of the cut. He looked back up as Tachibana crutched his way around the room- disappearing from Sousuke’s view for a moment before returning with a first aid kit.

Sousuke found words as Tachibana very carefully lowered himself to the floor, opening the box he carried. “Won’t you get in trouble?” Sousuke winced at his own voice. It was raspy and weak, yet, it sounded like nails on a chalk board.

“No,” Tachibana replied, “This could be a fatal wound. I’m just keeping you from dying.” Tachibana sounded defensive.

“You sure about that?” Sousuke almost teased. He felt his stomach clench once he heard the words leave his mouth. Now was not the time to be sarcastic. He could die because of his shitty sense of humour.

Though, Tachibana didn't strangle him right than and there. He just sighed, a small smile forming on his face. “Shush,” He said, somewhat of a chuckle leaving his mouth. Sousuke shivered at the sound. It wasn’t cruel or mean- it was warm.

Sousuke knew these boys were simply Iwatobi’s puppets. That they weren't evil. He knew that they were really ,truly suffering. But to witness it, it sent chills up Sousuke’s spine.

“Now, stay quiet, this might hurt quite a bit,” Makoto mumbled, dabbing a cotton ball on some bottle. Alcohol, probably. Sousuke clenched his eyes shut as the soaked cotton found his cuts- the sever burning making his vision flicker. He didn't even have a chance to scream- instead, he passed out, the burning sensation flickering through Sousuke’s light slumber as Tachibana treated his wounds.

The darkness suddenly enveloped everything, and he didn't hear or feel a single thing. It was nice, being able to sleep despite the cause of his slumber being intense pain. But- his legs were spread out, and his hands were free, and he couldn’t ask for anything more.

Sosuke woke to be shaken softly, shooing away the darkness and his eyes flickering open. The shaking was simply a soft nudge, and when he opened his eyes he saw Tachibana’s languid eyes wilted with gentle concern. “Are you okay?” He said, and Sousuke managed a nod- the burning only a dull tingling. He noticed his wrists were wrapped in thick bandages- the bandages wrapped so thick he doubted it was the minimal on keeping him alive. The wound wasn’t even bleeding that much, Tachibana had wrapped his wrists like that to protect him from hurting them further on the cuffs. “There, um,” Tachibana brushed his hands over the wrappings, “Let’s see your legs now.”

Tachibana somehow knew that Sousuke was too weak to do basically anything on his own, because Tachibana didn't ask him a single thing as he gently took Sousuke into his arms and flipped him over onto his back. He looked over Sousuke’s chest, making a small noise of disapproval in his throat.

“Did Nagisa do all this?” Makoto mumbled- seemingly to himself, but Sousuke answered. He almost felt although he should comply to that since Tachibana had been so nice.

“Yeah,” Sousuke grunted, “Well, sometimes he’d bring in other guards,” Sousuke breathed as Tachibana touched one of his kneecaps- his legs still bent in the position they had been locked in. He was scared to loosen them- afraid they’d fall right off his body.

“Yeah?” Tachibana asked, reaching back. Sousuke hissed when he felt something cold and soft press to one of his kneecaps. Sousuke hissed in return of the freezing contact on his heated skin, but it soon started to feel like a miracle. “I’m no doctor,” Tachibana explained, “Haru’s the doctor, I’m the emergency driver- anyways,” Tachibana shook his head, clearing himself of the nearly childish ramblings, “But your knees look really, really swollen.”

They felt swollen, and Sousuke snorted in return. Tachibana almost seemed offended that Sousuke hadn’t made conversation with him, though, the brunette seemed to get over it fast as he pressed another ice pack to Sousuke’s other leg.

Silence was shared as Tachibana reached into the first aid kit again and pulled out a damp towel. He was gently wiping off Sousuke’s body- and honestly- it felt nice to have the drying blood and sweat being cleaned off. Whenever Sousuke would flinch, Tachibana would too- pausing for a moment before continuing.

Rin had always said Tachibana was a nice guy. He was easily the most negotiable- but strangely, the most loyal. Though, despite his loyalty to Iwatobi- Tachibana was a softie, normally going with his heart- not his head. Right now, Sousuke could see it- besides the initial terror, Tachibana seemed like a gentle giant.

 

_“He’s fucking massive,” Rin would say, laughing as he spoke, “Hit puberty at age eleven, was already at six feet tall when he was twelve.” Sousuke could hear the liquor in his voice as he spoke, and Rin laughed hysterically as he explained the next bit- “Makoto’s a freak.”_

_“All brawn, no brains, i’m guessing?” Sousuke responded, and Rin made a noise akin to a fart with his lips._

_“You’re all brawn, no brains, you asshole,” Rin cursed, and Sousuke gawked, “I swear to god Makoto had the most heart out of anyone I’ve ever met. Don’t talk shit.” Rin kicked Sousuke in the leg, his strength still prominent even though he was blindly drunk- “Fuck, Makoto was incredible, he was such a nice guy. I swear he would kill anyone who hurt the people he loved.”_

_Sousuke laughed despite the fact he could tell Rin was on the brink of tears. Rin snarled at him, but the crack in his voice was obvious. Rin missed them. He spoke about them as if they were old lovers. “Well, we’d have one hell of a fight, huh?”_

_“You’ve never hurt me, Sousuke,” Rin said that as if he was cursing. He fumbled for one of the beer bottles and took a swig- though, it was empty. Rin scowled._

_“He probably thinks I hurt you.” Sousuke explained, and Rin clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth._

_“You’re right,” Rin said- looking dead at Sousuke. Through the liquor, Rin’s eyes looked like a fire- and they burned right through Sousuke’s heart. “He’d snap your neck.”_

 

“Hows Rin?” Tachibana asked- as if he was reading Sousuke’s mind.

“Hes great,” Sousuke nearly growled between clenched teeth.

“No need to get angry,” Tachibana had probably felt Sousuke tense underneath his gentle touch, “I’m just asking. Rin’s my friend too, you know.” Tachibana sat back on his heels- wringing out the towel he had used- its cloth dripping with sweat and blood, “I remember, that night- I saw you two kiss.”

Sousuke was silent. He remembered that night- possibly it was his last time seeing Rin. And, it was a good last sight of Rin. He could be happy to say that his last night spent with Rin was a blast- the imagery of Rin’s fiery eyes flashing at him as the two danced- Sousuke hugging him close and wishing him a happy birthday- how Rin kissed Sousuke and told him how happy he was. It was a good night. Sousuke didn't realize he was closing his eyes until he opened them- only to see Tachibana smiling softly at him.

“That’s sweet,” Tachibana murmured, “I’d do anything for Haru, it’s really nice to have a lover. Rin’s a great guy.” Rin is a great guy. It was true. Sousuke nodded, and Tachibana flashed him a quick grin before removing the bags off his legs. “Do you think you can bend your legs?” Tachibana asked, placing his big- rough hands on Sousuke’s kneecaps.

“I-” Sousuke thought for a moment, “I don’t know.” It was clear to both him and Tachibana he sounded scared. He was scared that something more than scrapes and infected cuts was wrong with him- that his legs could be damaged so badly he could no longer move them. He shivered out a gasp at the realization- he didn't even wanna try.

Makoto nodded- shifting his focus to Sousuke’s left leg. “I’m gonna try to move it,” Makoto whispered, “I’ll be really gentle.” Tachibana placed his other hand under Sousuke’s calf, and carefully pressed both the spaces in opposite directions.

The feeling of his leg straightening out was weird. It didn't hurt- nor did it feel good, but it was an odd feeling of pressure swelling in his legs and blood flooding everywhere that made him whine with the pressure. Slowly, Tachibana eased his leg out straight, softly setting the limb on the ground. “There,” Makoto sighed in relief, before replacing the ice on his leg.

They redid the process with the second leg, the same- blood-rushing pressure filling his leg as it was spread out. Soon, he started to feel relief- his muscles aching but only in the best way.

Sousuke sighed, feeling his chest heave with the heavy breath. “Thank you,” He rasped, and Tachibana smiled.

“You sound a little parched,” Tachibana said- and pulled out a miracle from what was seemingly the air- a water bottle. It sloshed with fullness, and he gifted it to Sousuke with a nurturing look. Sousuke nursed off of the bottle- greedily dumping its contents down his throat, the water like a flood through his desert-like throat. Sousuke had taken so much in he started to gag on it, but he didn't care. Once it was gone, he was drooling and he felt somewhat okay.

Tachibana sat back, his long, muscular legs crossing infront of him- his crutches laying flat by his side. “Do you wanna try to walk? I can help you.” Tachibana asked, and Sousuke quickly shook his head. He didn't want to ruin this feeling of decency. Tachibana nodded in understanding, before taking out a waterbottle of his own.

“Alright, ah,” Tachibana said, “I have a few questions.”

Oh.

Sousuke saw where this was going. He almost snarled angrily at Tachibana until he realized who he was dealing with. “Is this where you pull the good cop bad cop thing on me?” Sousuke asked- and he was pleasantly surprised when he saw Tachibana jump as if offended.

“No! Not at all,” He exclaimed, “I would like to ask you about Nagisa- er, Hazuki. I hear that's what you call him.” Tachibana cocked his head to the side like an innocent puppy.

“That is his last name,” Sousuke explained gruffly, “But, yeah, what do you want?”

“Um.. How, is he?”

Sousuke deadpanned. Tachibana returned to gesture. “I’m serious,” Tachibana repeated. Sousuke could only picture the merciless blonde, his eyes like daggers and his hits hard and unrelenting.

“He’s evil,” Sousuke returned nastily, and suddenly, Tachibana’s almost carefree demeanor was gone when he squinted his eyes at Sousuke- and Sousuke felt his heart skip a beat and flutter.

“I’m being serious,” Tachibana’s voice was suddenly as cold as ice, and Sousuke answered quickly- a stutter laced in his voice.

“I-I don’t know- He’s been either crying or kicking the shit out of me when he comes in-” Sousuke gasped out- suddenly terrified of Tachibana once more. Rin had mentioned this guy would snap his neck- and honestly, Sousuke didn't doubt that. Even if Sousuke was fully mobile and not a prisoner, he was sure Tachibana would still kick his ass- crutches and all.

Tachibana paused in thought though, and was glaring for a slightly different reason. His thick fingers curled around his chin, his thumb pressing to his lip as he thought.

“Huh,” Tachibana mumbled, blinking- and Sousuke was happy to see his eyes relax when he opened them again. Despite wanting to know- he did not pester for why Tachibana was wondering this.

Than, there was a knock at the door. Which was odd. Was someone actually minding Sousuke’s privacy? He looked over at the door and so did Tachibana. “Hello?” Tachibana called- sounding somewhat meek. Sousuke wondered if Tachibana was in fact, going to be in trouble for doing this.

“It’s me-” Came a muffled sound- and Sousuke swore he could only hear the voice through one ear. The tone was cool and calm, that of another male. “Nagisa and Rei are leaving.”

“Oh! Haru- I’ll be there in a second!” Tachibana shouted back, the volume of the sound startling Sousuke. Tachibana looked back at him- “Sit for me,” He said softly- Sousuke was happy that gentle tone was back in his voice, “Just sit with your legs straightened out, okay? We don’t want them swelling anymore, right?” Sousuke nodded as he picked his upper body up with the remaining strength in his arms, a soft groan leaving his lips. Without being told, he crossed his arms behind his back- Tachibana shuffling forward to click the cuffs back into place.

Sousuke pulled at them- just to test the strength of the bandages themselves to see if he felt any pain- but as soon as he did, Tachibana lurched back. He made it obvious he couldn’t stand without the crutches since he tumbled backwards, a soft shout of “Haru-!” leaving his lips.

Sousuke stared at him. Tachibana returned the look of shock.

“Sorry, I was just testing the bandages-” Sousuke explained softly, and Tachibana sighed in relief. He started to form a smile on his tired lips- but the door suddenly slammed open, a rush of movement and a heavy boot to the face replaced the energy in the room to that of horror.

Sousuke’s body jerked to the side with the heavy impact- he heard Tachibana shriek in disbelief- “Haru!”- and then, Sousuke was spitting out blood and exactly three teeth.

Sousuke stared down at the little bones in a pile of his own blood- and he quickly ran his tongue over his teeth to figure out which three they were. Two back molars and one of his bottom incisors. Once the quick rush of adrenaline was over, Sousuke felt pain-and blood start to flood his mouth.

There was a rush of feet and limbs as Tachibana brought Nanase to the ground- holding the hollering boy in his lap. Nanase was putting up a pretty good fight against him- screaming obscenities and punching the air- but it did nothing against Tachibana’s powerful arms.

“Did he touch you, Makoto?” Nanase demanded deeply- “If he puts a finger on you- I swear to god I’ll slit his throat-!”

“Haru- stop it!” Tachibana would yell back- “He didn't hurt me! He didn't even try to!”

Sousuke’s jaw throbbed in pain as he coughed and moaned- spitting the blood from his mouth every now and then to join the growing puddle on the ground.  The teeth that Nanase had knocked out were now stained in red- and the pain was so deep it made his jaw clench in agony.

Though- through the pain- he felt a pair of big, rough hands on his jaw, straightening out his neck- “Oh, he knocked out your teeth-” Sousuke was met with Tachibana- who’s face was scrunched up in a wince.

“Careful-” Nanase yelled, and Tachibana scoffed at him, pulling some cotton from the first aid kit.

“He can’t hurt me.” Tachibana retorted- and though Sousuke felt a little irritated flame spark up in him, he was happy Tachibana was protecting him from literally getting his throat torn out by Nanase.

Sousuke looked up at Nanase through tear-blurred vision- his skin nearly white, and his jet black hair and blue eyes provided with a eerie creating the perfect feign. His lips were upturned in a scowl, clearly holding back whatever resentment and anger he had due to Tachibana’s motherly presence.

Rin talked about him the most. Sousuke also knew Nanase was a slick bastard- fast and sneaky as all hell. He was so strangely average looking that he could blend into daily life without being spotted- but yet he had such a uniqueness that Sousuke could perfectly picture him. Rin always spoke about how close Tachibana and Nanase were- the two would kill for each other.

_“Those two would completely ignore the world around them if one of them was in danger.” Rin explained- almost looking sad as his fists curled around the bed sheets. Sousuke opened his eyes- he had been listening to Rin’s stories so he could pass out- but suddenly, Rin’s words were carrying meaning and it made Sousuke worry._

_“Fuck, I remember one time Sasabe joked about putting Haru down because he had four resets in one month, and Makoto jumped Sasabe so fast. I’d never seen him move that fast. They had to taze him into submission- God- he was completely fucking silent the whole time so he wouldn’t make Haru worry.” Rin’s voice wavered- “Iwatobi, Samezuka- whatever. Those two would die for each other.”_

_Sousuke sat up in their bed, shuffling to a sit. He touched Rin’s shoulder gently, and the redhead flinched. “Those idiots are going to end up killing themselves.”_

_“You’re worried?” Sousuke asked curiously- his voice thick and sleepy. Rin turned away before nodding, the motion so small that someone who didn't know Rin as well wouldn’t have caught it._

_“It’s weird, having those memories.” Rin said softly, turning back forward to face the bedroom door which was locked tightly shut- Sousuke jumping when he felt Rin’s fingers snake around his bicep. “It reminds you how fucking raw those guys were. They really think they’re doing the right thing. If they were completely evil ,I don’t think Makoto would tackle the man who could easily put him down just for joking over killing Haru.”_

_Rin glanced back at Sousuke. His glance seemed weak- unsure. “Does that make any sense, Sousuke?”_

_Sousuke nodded- unsure of what else to say. Rin smiled- relieved. He pressed himself to Sousuke’s side- lathering his shoulder in kisses before nuzzling down into Sousuke’s armpit to sleep. “I’m done telling stories,” Rin mumbled, “Goodnight.”_

_Sousuke only laughed, turning his head to nuzzle his nose deep into Rin’s long, maroon hair. “Goodnight,” He murmured back- and not a thing else mattered in the world as everything went black._

 

Tachibana was filling each space where a tooth used to be with cotton balls. He looked truly remorseful- and when he was done, he patted Sousuke’s head almost lovingly. “I’m sorry,” Tachibana said, ducking his head, “Just push those out of your mouth if they get too filled with blood. I wish I could stay a little longer, but I gotta be somewhere.”

Sousuke nodded- almost missing Tachibana as Nanase was helping him to his feet and propping him up with his crutches. Nanase growled at him, hate in his glare as he gripped Tachibana’s hand tightly. The two boys left hand in hand- but, Sousuke was not only left with the sound of the door clicking shut- but a friendly call.

“See you soon, Yamazaki-kun,” Tachibana called before exiting- clicking the door shut.

Sousuke stared at the closed white door for a great while. Tachibana was coming back- soon, hopefully. Sousuke liked hearing someone talk- someone besides Hazuki who only cursed and swore at him. He didn't blame the little blonde- the kid was constantly sad- Sousuke could see some great trauma behind his eyes- but still, he was merciless. Sousuke much preferred Tachibana’s gentle touch and nurturing smiles. Though, he supposed it wouldn’t be torture if he wasn’t getting kicked and beaten on.

Sousuke closed his eyes. If Tachibana was one of the last people he was going to see- he wouldn't mind.

And, if his last memory of Rin was the relief of hearing his heart beating when Sousuke saw him passed out on the floor- than that was okay too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im seriously so sorry for having to reupload this i feel super shitty about it lol
> 
> probably in the next chapter we'll get some stuff from Rin, as well as rei and nagisas mission. makoto and haru will probably do something too idk yet
> 
> thank yall smuch for reading!!! i hope it was ok : ' > ! feedback is super highly appreciated- be nice, roast me, i dont care, i just rlly love seeing coments they make me happy ! sorry again for te reupload !!!


	3. Go Down Gently

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter summary: makoto and haru beat up a vending machine because they hate the government. the no fun police catch them doing it and in turn they get the shit beaten out of them .
> 
>  
> 
> i had a lot of fun with this chapter but its probably really bad. nothing happens . i s2g something will happen in the next chapter the plot is actually going to for real start . this thing is so big wtf i promise the next chapter wont be this big 
> 
> warning: theres a 'sex' scene in this but i really wasnt feeling it so its kinda bad  
> ((btw in this universe makoto and haru dont have a top/bottom concept so they do whatever they want. theyre both really big switches))  
> anyways enjoy some good ole gungisa, makoto and haru eating food, a lot of electrocuting makoto for fun, and sousuke "my blood kinda turns me on because its almost the same color as rins hair" yamazaki
> 
> ((// I updated the summary because i felt like it lol))

Terror took many forms. Mice, spiders, the ocean. But, Nagisa’s terror came in the form of a tall office building that smelt faintly like old people.

Nagisa was scared. Terrified, really. It had been a great while since he had been on the ground, and, not only that, but Rei was his responsibility at the moment. Though, Rei was much less scared to be on the ground than Nagisa thought he would be. He seemed alert, but calm, his eyes flat and his lips straight. Nagisa realized he was holding Rei’s hand more for his own comfort than Rei’s.

Normally they had at least a month between big missions. They’d send Makoto in so he could help break up rallies of rebels a lot, and they’d send Haru places so he could scope things out in certain areas like some sort of surveillance camera (Though normally, there was nothing to be found), but those were just small missions. Having a big mission the two weeks after Makoto had been corrected and they had captured someone super valuable, Nagisa thought he’d get at least a month.

But no, he wouldn’t. With Makoto being out, and Haru refusing to go anywhere until Makoto was better, Nagisa had to bring Rei. Not only that but it  was a ground mission,Nagisa wasn’t perched on a building a safe distance away, aiming a gun or something- he was right in the action. He hated this feeling. He hated being on the ground because it felt like there was nowhere to escape to.

They were both trained to be on the ground, but Rei hadn’t been on a mission like this in years and it was about Nagisa’s least favorite thing.  The higher you were, the more power you had over a situation.

Getting Rei into an office building and having him stick his little usb jack into a hole didn't seem to complicated in theory. But, it was. Keeping their profile low was the worst- Iwatobi couldn’t be seen acting out directly against rebel plans, that might hurt their improving social image- so, Nagisa was instructed only to shoot if necessary.

They weren't undercover, it was a public building, so they just walked on in with a disgruntled look from the man at the front desk.

“Can’t a guy use a computer?” Nagisa remarked as the two men trekked the stairs, Rei didn't reply- he was too caught up in his weird square device. It was like a glowing piece of paper... “What are we doing, Rei?”

“So the computer we need to access is on the third floor,” Rei said, “From there I’ll find it.” The glowing from the device switched off- Rei findling with his glasses.

“Ok but,” Nagisa started, finding Rei’s hand again and holding it tight, “Why? I mean, I doubt any Samezuka member would write some top secret rebel plan on a public computer.” That was just dumb. Samzeuka was supposed to be smart.

“On the contrary,” Rei chirped, and that’s when Nagisa stopped listening, “The expected is sometimes the least expected! Anyway, even if it wasn’t saved onto one of these computers I can still get it from that. Nothing is ever truly deleted, Nagisa-kun.”

Rei paused, before snapping- “Are you even listening?”

Nagisa grinned and shook his head, finding amusement in the way Rei’s eyebrows dropped in a frustrated look.

“Just get me to the third floor,” Rei said with a hopeless sigh.

“Got it.” Nagisa pulled Rei forward, the two boys marching up the stairs, Nagisa’s guns clinging on his belt. It didn't feel dangerous, not yet, but Nagisa knew anything having to do with Samezuka directly was dangerous. This could secretly be a rebel building, disguised as a nice little computer place to keep hidden. There could be guards waiting, this could be a trap. All Nagisa knew- or, all Nagisa listened to about the plan- was that they had found some mysterious jumbled codes and the keyword ‘FREEBIRD” that traced back to this place.

Once at the third floor ,the top floor, Rei paused to take out his own small gun- the only one he really properly knew how to use, and Nagisa was yanking out his revolver, flashing Rei a cheeky and nodding furiously grin as the other male asked; “Do you really need that big one?”

“Behind me, Rei,” Nagisa whispered, trying desperately to sound more serious even with the big smile on his face now that the door to the computer room was in sight. Rei complied easily, he knew his place and crouched behind Nagisa. They both knew Nagisa was a whole hell of a lot better at fighting than Rei was.

“Don’t shoot anything until you see someone threatening, there could just be normal people in there,” Rei whispered, Nagisa nodding as he opened the door.

The both of them jumped to the side as soon as the door was open, waiting, watching- waiting to hear a commotion of talking people or watching for some guard to come bounding out.

There was silence, mostly, just the humming of a printer. The tension hanging in the room fell in shattered on the floor. Nagisa shrugged his shoulders, sliding his gun back into his belt.

They exchanged looks before moving in. Rei still behind Nagisa, the two padded through the doorway.

“Alright,” Rei pulled out his usb, clicking it open to show off the shiny plug. The base of it was purple and it had a tiny butterfly coming off of it.. Rei was such a nerd.. “I’ve gotta put this in and extract whatever I can.”

Nagisa honestly didn't care, and he was pretty sure Rei knew that and was just talking to himself. Nagisa looked around, scanning the computer office with his eyes. It was empty, the room caught in a maze of desks that really just looked like long tables, two computers resting on each desk. There was at least twenty computers.. Nagisa was tempted to hop on one and watch a funny video or something, because if he knew Rei well, this would take a while.

Rei was kneeling down by a big computer tower-like thing, running his fingers over it as he looked for a plug. He apparently found what he was looking for and gently pushed the silver end of the usb in, pulling out his glowy-tablet-device and starting to type things in. Nagisa’s impatience spiked as soon as Rei sat on the ground, cross legged- a bad sign. That meant they were going to be there for a while.

Nagisa sighed, making it sound as tortured as he could,  throwing his head back like a dramatic child. Rei didn't even give him so much as a glance.

Nagisa grumbled a curse under his breath, glaring daggers at Rei. Right when Nagisa sat down, the situation was made twenty times more appealing when somebody suddenly appeared by the printer that had been humming. Like magic or something, this kid just poofed into existence to entertain Nagisa’s childish needs of amusement. Though, Nagisa figured there was no poofing involved despite wanting to think that. They must’ve been bent down before hand- maybe fiddling with the printer itself. Nagisa, though not really threatened by the figure who still had their back to the two soldiers, still had to escort them out due to some privacy reason.

“Hey!” Nagisa called- seeing out of the corner of his eye as Rei looked up, suddenly interested. Rei somehow knew Nagisa wasn’t talking to him. “You gotta get going, you can come right back in, but-.” That's when Nagisa noticed the person had not budged. Hadn’t even noticed that Nagisa was talking. The person tapped their fingers along the smooth, white top of the surface of the printer, softly humming to themselves- but, the humming was off, broken- no tune being formed, just a straight hum.

“Hello?” Nagisa called, irritated. He stepped over a line of computers, before tapping the person’s shoulder.

Immediately, the guy sparked to life- leaping to face Nagisa with a startled jolt and a small, muffled yelp. He had short silver hair- neatly trimmed in what was almost a bowl cut. His shade of skin was that of milk, and his eyes a soft baby blue. His skin was also- just from the looks of it- round and soft like a baby’s. Nagisa glared at him- the boy was probably as old as he was, but yet entirely average and unsuspecting.

He looked terrified. His big eyes wide with horror and his lips upturned in an almost disgusted grimace. Nagisa couldn't tell if he was more revolted or afraid of Nagisa’s presence.

“Hey, you gotta go,” Nagisa said, though his tone hung on the air, stale, still not over looking over this guys expression- “Secret shit’s going on.”

Than, the silver-haired boy backed up a few steps, folding his spine over the printer,  just so he had enough room to do this weird hand motion. He made a fist and turned it into a circular motion- not anything threatening, just weird. Nagisa squinted- and the boy did it again, more urgently this time.

“What are you doing?” Nagisa asked, and the boy seemed to lose all the terror in his body, instead it was replaced by unamusement, and he did another weird hand gesture. “Are you like, talking with your hands- or something?”

Nagisa heard Rei holler- in a equally unamused tone as the boy’s facial expression displayed- “I think he’s deaf, Nagisa.” Rei called, and Nagisa let out a cheesy ‘ooh!’. He was relieved this boy wasn’t crazy. That made a lot of sense.

“Can you read lips?” Nagisa asked, and the boy nodded, “Then get out.” immediately, the boy shook his head, and patted the printer. It was still spitting out images. Pictures of... Ducks? What the hell?

The boy motioned with his hands again. Nagisa gave up. “Rei, do you know sign?” Nagisa yelled back, and he heard Rei let out a mighty sigh, soon his lanky legs were stepping over a desk to reach the two others.

Rei motioned something at the silver-haired boy. Nagisa noticed he had a mole on his chin. It kind of looked more like a oversized freckle though. That seemed oddly familiar. Once Rei’s hand motions stopped- the boy was communicating back. Honestly, it was pretty cool.

“He says he’s printing out something for  a project, and that it’s almost done.” Rei explained, and the boy nodded to confirm. More hand signals, more of Rei’s translation, “He says he’ll be right out.” Rei and Nagisa both looked unimpressed as the boy grinned nervously at them. This kid was in the presence of two soldiers who were very well known for killing- Nagisa was even holding a damn revolver- and this kid wanted to print out his duck pictures for a project. A project that was probably about ducks, in fact. This kid was working on a duck project that he was willing to die for. But, Rei and Nagisa left it at that, waiting until the printer stopped spitting out pictures.

Rei sat on a desk, unable to continue his work until this boy left for some reason, and while he waited he pulled up his tablet. Nagisa went to sit next to him, gun still gripped in his hand incase this kid was going to try something- but overall just looked at Rei’s glowing wall of text.

“What’cha doing?” Nagisa asked like an annoying next door neighbor- technically he was Rei’s annoying next door neighbor- swinging his feet.

Rei pressed a finger over his lips, shushing Nagisa. Nagisa crossed his arms, glancing to see if the kid was still watching them. He was. His blue eyes were focused on Rei and Nagisa, his face relaxed but his eyes intense. Creepy... Nagisa waved his gun at him, and the boy looked back down at the printer immediately. He almost looked on edge, his eyebrows tense with stress and his lips pressed tight together, he stared at the printer as if it were his mortal enemy. His fingers nervously fiddled with his hair.

Suddenly Rei shoved Nagisa with his elbow, causing Nagisa looked back over at Rei’s screen. Rei was scanning the guy- putting his cute little face through Iwatobi’s vast data like a cop- trying to figure out who he was. Rei was silent as Nagisa read the slim information on him, eerily so.

 

_NITORI AIICHIRO_

_-MALE_

_-IF STILL ALIVE, 18 YEARS OLD_

_-DISPOSED AT TWO YEARS OLD_

_\- FAILED SUBJECT OF THE IWATOBI SOLDIER PROJECT_

_\- PRESUMABLY DEAD_

_-DESPITE PRESUMED DEATH, HE HAS BEEN SPOTTED AROUND SAMEZUKA ACTIVITY_

_\- ACCIDENTALLY INDUCED DEAFNESS IN BOTH EARS_

_\- KILL IF FOUND_

Rei and Nagisa exchanged looks. Rei pressed his lips together, eyebrows arching behind his glasses as he gestured to the boy. Nagisa cocked his gun and shot- not even looking. Rei recoiled at the crack of the gun, yelping and ducking to cover his ears to try and escape the deafening bang. Nagisa did not so much as flinch.

Though, all he got in return from the satisfying pop of a bullet was the not-so-satisfying sound of plaster eating a bullet. Rei and Nagisa both shot their heads towards the printer. The boy was gone. His papers too.

“I have a feeling those weren't just ducks,” Rei whispered, and Nagisa nodded in agreement.

Rei was pressing into his headset as Nagisa jumped off the deck, stepping outside the room to briefly search. “We beileve we just came in contact with Nitori Aiichiro, he was here printing something but he got out pretty fast, should we pursue?”

Rei was silent, Nagisa turning back to watch him. The voice received flooded through Nagisa’s earpiece too, startling him with the grainy volume. “Nagisa may,”  Nagisa pumped his fists into the air- “If he is involved in the Freebird we need him alive.”

Disappointment found Nagisa’s being as he frowned, tucking the massive gun back into his belt and finding a tranq. “How long has it been, Rei-chan?” Nagisa asked, pushing a dart into the back of the gun. Rei looked confused. “How long since I’ve shot someone?”

Rei only grunted to acknowledge him, back to tapping on his pad as Nagisa bolted down the stairs.

Being on the chase was something old, but not something experienced in a long time. A rush of limbs, boots slamming against concrete and sharp, heart pounding turns. Thankfully, Nagisa had only had the privilege of being the hunter, cocking his guns as he chased someone down a tight alleyway, or a abandoned parking lot. He chased the scent of death on his tongue, the power of being a predator surging through his veins as he sprinted.  “Don’t make a scene-” Echoed through Nagisa’s earpiece, and he chirped back a enthusiastic ‘can do!’ as he tried to find the boy. Despite Haru being the master of chases, Nagisa was a close second in speed. In size Nagisa made up for in his quick actions and agility, surely not capable of delivering a punch as hard as Makoto or putting on a act as good as Haru, but he was easily able to shoot down a helicopter with one bullet.

Dashing into the street, Nagisa picked up on the quickly disappearing figure of the small boy. Nagisa was quick, dashing after him in the street- skillfully dodging a mother and her small child.

This was the first time Nagisa had been in the city in ages. Sure, he was never, truly free out here, he was always being watched. But, it was the closest thing to the taste of freedom. It smelt bitter here with cigarette smoke and spilled milk but yet was new and Nagisa couldn't help but stop and look at the everything. The misty weather chilled his bare hands that gripped at his tranq, his sprinting feet slowing to a gentle wander that came to be when he spotted a storefront with a big, pink stuffed rabbit in it’s window. The smiling, cutsey face of the pastel rabbit stared back at Nagisa, replacing the strong urge to gun down a man with the need to hug it’s plush fabric.

Nagisa slowed to a stop, completely mesmerized by the bunny- so much so it lured him close enough to the glass that he pressed his face to it.  His breath left marks, the glass freezing against his soft hands as the rabbit’s longing stare bore holes into Nagisa. The bunny stared at him inside the store, no doubt it was warm in there. The rest of the place buzzed with life behind the bunny, heat of warm firelight flickering inside the store as well as the muffled sound of happiness but Nagisa focused only on the pink plushie.

The tranq clattered to the ground, slipping out of his hands, causing Nagisa to finally snap out of the plush fabric of the rabbit. He glanced down at the tranq- and just beyond it stood a small child. Their sneakers were wet and pants tattered, a picture of a fading dog with sunglasses adorned on it. Amused shock was deep in their chubby cheeks, eyebrows arched with surprise.

“Is that a gun?” The kid barked, and Nagisa first looked around -confused- before nodding hesitantly. He was being spoken to by a ... A normal. Not a rebel, not a soldier. A resident. A bystander. A child. The child’s eyes were wide in morbid curiosity. “Hey! You have the jacket, too.” The boy pointed out, and Nagisa looked down at his jacket. A white base with light and deep blue accents, ‘IWATOBI’ printed in scarlet letters across his chest and smaller text that read Nagisa’s name.

“Uh, yeah,” Nagisa stuttered, collecting his gun. The child almost looked disappointed that he didnt get to touch the tranq. Nagisa hugged it to his chest as if to say ‘mine.’

Suddenly Nagisa heard a gasp, and he gripped his gun like a scared child would hold a stuffed animal. He looked behind himself to see a woman, who the child promptly ran over to. She didn't look scared, instead she looked like she was in the presence of a legend, her eyes wide with shock. Her scarf tattered in the wind, her boots tall and her jeans slashed.

“You’re one of the iwatobi soldiers,” She mumbled, her voice hardly above a whisper, paralyzed by awe, “I’ve never seen any of you in person.”

Nagisa started to back away, staring at the woman with the same amount of shock and possibly fear.  “Nagisa Hazuki.” She mumbled in realization. Nagisa nodding hesitantly as he tried to creep away, but the lady’s gaze followed, “You’re much shorter than I thought you’d be.” She laughed at that, stepping forward to follow him. Nagisa had no idea why she was laughing. Something about her gaze made Nagisa feel like a prop, a fancy machine. He supposed that was what he was. Nagisa never had the pant leg of a mother to grip onto, he never had the childish glee of walking into a full toystore in the middle of fall. Nagisa was really anything but human.

Nagisa remembered the words of ‘always be alert’(spoken wisely by Sasabe) when it was far too late. He heard a gunshot, white hot sparks shooting through the sky, sounding through the air and snapping Nagisa out of his shock as it tore through his leg. Terrible shot. As Nagisa’s leg buckled- flesh torn right under his kneecap as the bullet nestled next to his bone. He quickly noted that it hadn’t hit anything major.  He wanted to critique whoever it was on the poor shot, but then he realized he had actually been shot and this wasn’t a test once everyone in the city scattered like scared mice, screaming ‘rebels!’ as they sprinted away.

“I’ve been hit-” Nagisa boredly declared into his earpiece, “Gunshot to the leg. Nothing major- definitely not Samezuka.” Samezuka was a lot more professional than that. These were the ugly rebels with no organization. Just gangs that thought they were ‘all that’, rebelling for the sake of rebelling. Nagisa was no virgin to bullets, Nagisa had been shot countless times in various areas by a vast amount of people. Though the sear of pain tearing in his leg was intense, he easily sat through it as he waited for a reply.

“Rei is done, we’ll be picking you both up momentarily.” Said the gravelly voice of some soulless operator, and Nagisa sighed.

He picked out his revolver, defensively holding it to his chest- waiting for someone to come. Not anyone good either, he knew that bullet had a reason. Not even a mass shooter would have the gall to randomly shoot down a Iwatobi member- especially a Iwatobi member who was possibly one of the most famous- with no intention. Even the craziest man wouldn't dare it without reason.

Nagisa spotted them as soon as they rose from the darkness of a alleyway, high-fiving and laughing as if they had shot Nagisa in a place that would actually do damage. All of them were older, two gruff looking men and one older woman clutching the gun. It was her who made the terrible shot. Colored bandanas were tied around their faces, their fists pumping into the air like a group of preschoolers.

Nagisa cocked his gun. The sound of it echoed through the mostly empty street. They all froze in their approach.

“Thank god you shot the one with good aim,” Nagisa grinned at them, the pull of the trigger as amusing as their expressions of fear.

The unlucky one who ate the bullet was one of the men, sending it through his head it what Nagisa knew to be a quick death. A splatter of blood made the other two sprint. They didn't sprint away- these must be some crazy rebels- their feet pounded against the ground right to Nagisa.

Before Nagisa could fire another the gun was knocked out of his hand, a heavy boot pounding his wrist to the ground and pinning it against wet, rocky pavement.

Nagisa’s first reaction was to fire his gun again, his bullet scraping against the pavement uselessly as the pop of the gun echoed. The foot on his hand did not relent, not even flinching at the deafening boom of the gun. Apparently Nagisa wasn’t the only one accustom to gunshots.

“Thank god we shot the weak one,” The guy laughed, his gruff voice muffled by his red bandana. It was labeled with the pattern of a syringe, over and over, and Nagisa stared at it as if longing for the real deal.

Nagisa’s snarl was full of pure rage as the lady cocked her gun again, grin evident by the rise of her cheeks over her tired eyes. “Let’s fill ‘im with holes.” She laughed.

 _Alright, now I’m in trouble,_ Nagisa realized with a sudden urgency swelling in his gut. Nagisa knew he would ultimately be okay, Iwatobi was coming and so was Rei. These next few minutes would just be painful, but Nagisa could survive a few bullet holes. Though, the calming thoughts in his head did nothing to soothe his anger. Biting spite that coiled in his stomach and spat out his mouth in the form of frothing drool as he snarled at the rebels, his teeth bared. These were the kind of rebels Nagisa really despised. Samezuka at least had intention, even though Samezuka took everything away they had a goal. These rebels took away things for fun, crafted suffering for their amusement, and they all felt it was right because they were doing it to big, bad Iwatobi.

Nagisa wished he could shoot the other two to the ground. Wished he could smile as his perfect aim shot through their vile expressions.

Though Nagisa assumed it was his fault. He had been distracted by the foolish need for a stuffed bunny, after all. Nitori was probably half-way across the world by now.

The woman dug her boot into the bleeding wound on Nagisa’s leg, waiting for a scream that never came from Nagisa’s mouth. Not even so much of a whimper left him as he glared her dead in the eye, his mouth pressed tightly closed as he trembled with boiling rage. He wanted to snap her neck.

“I’m gonna make you scream, soldier,” She grinned.

The first gunshot was nothing more than that. A gunshot. Followed by a bullet that ripped a hole in Nagisa’s shoulder. The pain flushed through his body as blood bubbled to the surface, but Nagisa did not dare to break the eye contact with the woman. Her eyes fluttered back as Nagisa stared at her, he knew she could feel the venom in his stare.

There was not a chance for another bullet. As quick and as silently as the first gunshot sounded, there was the sound of another solid boot slamming into skin. The man standing on his arm was no longer. He toppled to the ground, Rei’s tall figure standing over him to deliver a slam to his face with his boots.  

Before the woman could even think about shooting Rei, Nagisa brought his own bullets into her shoulder. She cried out, stumbling back as she clutched the quickly blossoming area, blood blooming into her brown jacket. Pain burst in Nagisa’s leg when he jumped to a stand, but the pain was nothing in comparison to the white hot rage that influenced the movement in the first place.

He pulled the trigger again and again and again, not caring where the bullets fell as he did so. He dinot care as the woman’s sred not care when blood splattered on his face, did not care when his gun ran out of bullets as the heavy thrum of the revolver stopped vibrating in his hands.

Nagisa was unsatisfied. His hands still gripped his gun as he tried to shoot, pulling the trigger until the muscles in his hands tensed with a deep ache.

Nagisa heard the shoot of a gun, but it was not his own. It was followed by the screaming of the man Rei had brought down with a high kick. Nagisa’s neck snapped to watch Rei- Rei had aimed his gun right into the achilles of the man on the ground. His face was damp with blood, making the dirt of the pavement stick to his face. His sobs were warped, colored by pain. Nagisa recognised it as the cry of an injured animal.

Rei fixed his glasses on his face as if nothing, his gun falling to his side. “You okay?” Rei asked, looking at Nagisa. Rei’s glasses were sprayed scarlet.

Nagisa huffed, steam falling from his lips as he spat out “I’m okay.”

The helicopter came soon, Rei grabbing the man on the floor by his wrists to drag him inside, the guy kicking and screaming. Nagisa had no reason as to why Rei wasn’t going to kill the man, Iwatobi would simply kill them off in secret.

As Nagisa boarded the helicopter, he realized he had done exactly what he was told not to do. He made a scene. He made a big one at that. Nagisa gulped, feeling his rage being swallowed by ice cold guilt, Nagisa’s body paralyzed with one leg in the copter. Rei reached out a bloodied hand to help Nagisa the rest of the way in, dragging him up into a place Nagisa no longer wanted to go. Nagisa was scared of punishment, and he pulled against Rei weakly, before Rei gave him a look of sympathy and murmured the sentence that calmed melted the ice and doused the fire all in one.

“I’ll stand by you.”

/**/

 

Nagisa’s head was hung in shame. His blonde hair covered every ounce of emotion he displayed on his face. His hands folded over each other, standing with them resting over his thighs.

“I take full blame,” It didn't make any sense in Makoto’s brain but he said it anyways, “I should’ve been there. I’m their captain. I’m well enough to go.” Nagisa squeezed Rei’s hand tight every time Makoto said anything. Everything that came out of his mouth was stupid. Stupidly kind. Nagisa had every right to hate him for it, those genuine green eyes widened in fear that something would happen to Nagisa made Nagisa grimace with the kindness emitted from them.

Sasabe stopped his pacing in front of Makoto. Haru tensed, like a predator ready to attack. His lips upturned in a scowl as Makoto’s expression was at rest. He bowed his head.

“I’m very sorry,” He whispered, “It’s my fault. Please, punish me instead.” Haru wanted to pull Makoto to the side and scream at him, this was a worst punishment for Nagisa than the actual punishment itself. But, Sasabe’s eyes shot over to Haru, putting his fire out.

Sasabe pursed his lips when he turned back to Makoto.

The next few split seconds passed like hours ,at least to Haru they did. What was only five moments felt like an eternity to Haru as his muscles tensed, his body lurching forward despite still standing in place. His bones creaked with need, need to fight, need to howl and scream and yell. His need to pry Makoto away from them and hold him close, not let anyone touch him ever again. Nagisa’s scream of protest only existed as an echo in Haru’s mind as the taser lit sparks on Makoto’s neck, bringing him to his knees.

Makoto was completely silent, though Haru could see the scream in his expression. Tasing was something only Makoto received, it was special to him. All of the guards had white lies dancing off their lips about why they carried tasers, nomatter what they argued it to be for Haru knew it was to take Makoto down in a second. It fit too well, the tasers seemed to know Makoto’s body too well as the jolts traveled through his body, escaping out of Makoto’s mouth when his neck snapped back and he gasped for air.

All Sasabe needed to do was to look at Haru to keep him down. Haru froze in his place. Nagisa’s sobs and Rei’s hissing cringes did not matter, all that mattered was the scream that Makoto’s muscles created when they tensed.

Makoto spluttered out a cough as he gathered himself, sitting back up into a squat. His body was still besides the swell of his chest when he gasped in air.

Sasabe cleared his throat, the taser raised at the ready. “I know what you’re doing,” Sasabe’s voice was emotionless, his golden eyes dead as he looked down at Makoto, “Trying to protect your teammates. It is quite sweet.” Makoto’s eyes looked to Sasabe’s boots, his head hanging. “Don’t test me, boy. If you want me really want me to treat you like their parent I will.”

“Yes sir,” Makoto uttered, unable to meet Sasabe in the eye.

Haru watched Sasabe’s finger curl at the knob on the taser. He couldn’t tell if Sasabe was turning it up or down. Haru knew which one it was when Makoto screamed.

The pain in his was raw and thick, his jaw clenching tight as he tried to swallow around the pained noise, but to no avail. Makoto’s frame shook with the jolts that Sasabe pressed into his neck. The noise contorted into rage, deeply muffled by whatever need to please even whilst he was writhing on the floor in agony. Makoto’s fingers gripped for purchase on the cold floor, fingernails scraping against its smooth surface as Haru’s entire body shook with the suppressed images of slamming Sasabe to the floor. The ideas were persuading Haru’s legs to start creaking forward As soon as the idea popped into his head, Haru was rolling back onto the ball of his heels as soon as Sasabe’s eyes shot through Haru’s rebellion like daggers. Makoto’s dying, garbled scream suddenly jolted louder as the electricity voltage between the two talons at the end of the weapon lit up in a spark.

Haru was suddenly holding Nagisa back. Rei had him around him the waist, holding down his feet as Nagisa tried to kick. The howls that burst through Nagisa’s throat sounded like bombs going off, Haru’s stiff arms hardly able to hold onto Nagisa’s fresh struggles, the screams tore from his throat were akin to the same noises Haru made when they broke him.

“No!” Haru screamed, “It’s just what he wants, Nagisa!” Haru tried to force the fight back into Nagisa. Make Nagisa keep the same fire that once dared Haru to fight back.

Rei somehow wrestled Nagisa into a hug, holding Nagisa’s howling face to his chest. Rei watched, his eyes as big as saucers, witnessing his captain fall into a state of vulnerability only Haru had seen before. Though he did not make a sound, Haru could see it in his eyes. The fear, the realization that Makoto truly had no control. That someone Rei thought was the strongest person he had ever met, mentally and physically, could be brought to their knees in seconds.

Once Rei sensed Haru was looking, Rei’s eyes darted away. He did not want Haruka to see his weakness. Haru didn't argue.

Haru weakly held his arm out in front of Rei and Nagisa as the buzz of the taser went quiet, the deep shaking in his fingers proving how powerless he was. Sasabe stepped forward. Haru leaped back, pushing Rei and Nagisa behind him. His eyes did not leave Sasabe’s and he witness the curve of his eyes as he grinned.

“Don’t hurt them,” Haru squeaked. He hated how pathetic he sounded. It made Nagisa howl against Rei again, his sob raw with the terror as Iwatobi sucked it out of him.

“I think this is enough,” Sasabe said, his voice plain with not so much as an echo of hollowness to accompany it. It made Haru shivered, ice freezing over Sasabe’s tone.

Makoto was already climbing to a sit, his legs completely dead as his strong arms attempted to scoot him up to a lift. Haru tried his best to hide Nagisa and Rei from it- but he was sure they could see- Makoto’s face streaked with tears, drool and blood running from his mouth in a slow stream that clung to his lip. He shivered and twitched as if the taser was still pressed to his neck. The skin on the nape of his neck was raw and red, it looked nearly like it was melting.

With all the energy it took Makoto to even make it half-way into a sit, Haru was startled by how fast Makoto’s body moved towards the floor again. “Down,” Was all Sasabe had to say. Makoto’s chest flat against the floor and his lips practically touching the tip of Sasabe’s boot as he slammed his body against the hard tiles.

“What do you say?” Sasabe purred expectantly, amusement running on his tone as his tongue curled in the chuckles of a joke.

Makoto replied so fast, Haru could hardly make out the words. What he could make out was the terror and pain in Makoto’s sound. “I’m sorry, sir,” The words were all wrong, his tongue sounding too big for his mouth. His jaw could hardly move to connect the words, it just came out as a slurred bumble of nothingness. Sasabe seemed pleased, smirk sinking into his cheeks as he lifted the tip of his boot, curving it out on display for Makoto.

“Go on, boy,” Sasabe demanded, and Haru felt his body shiver in a cringe as soon as Makoto pressed his lips to the tip of the work boot in a sloppy kiss. Makoto grunted softly, simply letting his head go limp as Sasbe stood the bottom of his shoe on Makoto’s head, resting it there like Makoto was his trophy. Makoto took the time of what he probably considered peace so he could breath.

“Haru, dear boy, why’re you standing in the way?” Sasabe chirped as if nothing happened. As if this was a normal conversation and he was joking around with normal boys. “You already know all this stuff.” Sasabe grinned, flicking his hand to the side. Haru knew what he meant, those outstretched fingers commanding Haru’s body to move without strife.

“Stop it!” Were the first words out of Nagisa’s mouth, his screams weak now with the energy sucked out of him. His hands shook. Rei hardly hung onto him anymore, his jaw slack and eyes wide as he stared down at Makoto’s shaking body. Haru badly wanted to cover his eyes, for Makoto’s and Rei’s sake.

“Your captain can’t help you,” Sasabe’s voice was suddenly cold again, striking ice through Haru’s veins. He had no idea what tone was worse. “If you could even call it that,” Makoto spluttered out a painful cough despite not fighting the man nearly standing atop him. Haru knew if Makoto was fully conscious he wouldn’t fight it anyway. Sasabe knew what he was doing, stripping all the security and sense of contentment Makoto carried with him, taking him to the very core of what Makoto was intended to be. A loyal, mindless animal. It was far too much for Nagisa and Rei to take in. “He’s the perfect example of what you three should be.”

Haru heard it coming, but each word felt like a punch to his stomach. “Mindless, desperate to please.” Haru’s hands curled into fists. He knew it wasn’t true, he knew it was only part of this tactic because he had seen it before. They had done it to Makoto too, but it was the other way around, Makoto witnessing Haru’s weakest moments. Iwatobi pumped them full of lies, but the lies were smart and made sense. The worst thing was some of the lies were partially true. “Isn’t that right, Makoto?” Sasabe smiled down at Makoto, his eyes softening as if Makotos’ limp body wasn’t underneath his foot in a hateful gesture of dominance.

“Y-..Yeah,” Makoto’s words were thick with exhaustion.

“What was that?” Sasabe clicked the taser to tease Makoto with his precencse in the room, sparks lighting in it as Makoto’s body tensed at the thought of another agonizing jolt.

“Y-Yes sir!”

Nagisa mumbled a hopeless ‘stop it’, he was unable to utter anything else. He weakly hiccuped into Rei’s shirt, clutching it like it was the only thing that felt safe to him. Haru wanted it to stop too, but he knew saying it wouldn’t change anything. All Haru could do was wait for it to be over.

Sasabe grinned, stepping off Makoto. He dropped the taser to the ground like a piece of trash and all four of the boys scattered amongst the small room like a bomb was detonated. Or at least, Makoto tried to move out of the way, but his body was far too numb for that.

“See, boys,” Sasabe’s tongue curled around his words, “You’ve got it good. We’ve treated you both nicely, but mess up like that again or you’ll end up like both your captain's.” Haru’s head ducked in shame as Rei looked at him- seemingly heartbroken- Haru was just as bad as Makoto, if not worse. “You’re all weak, mindless.”

Haru waited until the door to their meeting room was shut before he dived for Makoto. Hoisting up Makoto’s heavy torso into his arms, Haru littered Makotos’ face with kisses before he even allowed himself to feel anything. He did not dare to imagine what Rei and Nagisa felt right now, as Haru couldn't even comprehend his own emotions. He wrapped himself in Makoto like a safety blanket, letting his own commitment to take care of Makoto swallow him whole. Makoto’s presence deflected anything else from coming into Haru’s head, his whole consciousness becoming and burying himself deep in Haru’s desires so he didn't have to think of anything else.

Makoto’s body was heavy in Haru’s arm, completely deadweight other than the sudden jerks that would rock his entire body like he was making himself relive the shocks. His skin was burning to the touch like the electricity from the taser trapped itself inside of him. Makoto didn't so much as press himself against Haru. “Haru,” He breathed, Haru’s name spoken in all the wrong ways. He was at least conscious... It took a lot to take Makoto down completely. Haru knew the types of tasers they used, the ones Makoto had the worst reactions too and the ones Makoto could take like a tiny scrape. Haru had only seen Sasabe use the one he had used on Makoto just now for punishment purposes, not that Makoto even got punished all that often. Haru wasn’t sure how the different kind could take Makoto down but not cause him nearly as much pain... Haru hadn’t heard Makoto scream like that in a while, so he knew it hurt.

“Sh,” Haru shushed him, “Don’t talk.” Haru didn't want to hear anything right now. He didn't want to listen right now. Haru fluttered kisses along his hairline that were far too gentle for the pounding in his chest.

The noise came as one that started small, and at first Haru thought he was feeling the beginnings to a seize despite only feeling hollow. But the high squeak distorted into a ugly, deeper sound, and Haru realized that noise was coming from Nagisa once the blonde  collapsed in a ugly, sobbing heap next to Makoto.

Haru could feel Makoto’s muscles ache when he lifted his hand to press it to Nagisa’s hair. All Nagisa did in reply was hide his crying face in his hands, tears slipping between the space inbetween his fingers.  Nagisa’s shoulders heaved as he whispered ‘stop it, stop it,’ between his sobs, and Haru felt himself tense around Makoto.

Rei came to sit next to Nagisa, putting a hand on his back, the other keeping Rei’s head propped up so he could freely stare into nothing. Rei’s eyes were empty. It scared Haru. Rei should be thinking right now, he should be deep in thought unless Iwatobi got to him too

“He hurt you,” Nagisa cried, leaning up into Makoto’s hand. A sad smile Haru never wanted to see rose on Makoto’s cheeks, “He hurt you and I just stood there and watched.” Nagisa’s words were distorted by his thick, heavy sobs, “We all did. Even Haru.” Nagisa’s shoulders shook with force as if Iwatobi was still sucking the life out of him, his remaining fight trying to hide out in his body, “And you didn’t even fight back.”

Rei finally looked at something, his pupils trembling to fight the urge to look at Makoto but to no avail. Rei stared at him, his brain finally starting to tick again.

Makoto took a heavy breath, “I’m sorry,” He said softly, and Haru wanted to shut him up again but he knew that would hurt Makoto now that Nagisa’s emotions were spilling all over the place.

“We’re powerless,” Nagisa hiccuped, resting his face into Makoto’s heaving chest.

Nobody replied to that. There was no argument. They really, truly were powerless. Haru felt bitter that Nagisa and Rei finally understood that. Haru hoped Nagisa and Rei stayed young and foolish forever, he hoped they never found the point of no return like him and Makoto had.

Haru rested his head atop Makoto’s, Nagisa’s sobs painting the room with emotion and yet Rei’s silence leaving the room empty and barren.

Makoto’s breath was steady. He glanced up at Haru, eyes wrinkled as he frowned like he was going to cry. But he didn't, because he knew by now that crying was beyond pointless.

 

/**/

 

The night was cold with the feeling of allowed freedom, the sky interrupted by streetlights that outdid the starts by a longshot. The black sky completely empty. Haru was pretty sure he had only seen two stars in his life, well, besides the sun. The roof was wet with past raindrops, the rain still clinging to the air and filling Haru’s lungs with the freshest air he had swallowed in his life. Haru realized how sad it was that he was appreciating the air quality.

Haru heard the ladder he boarded the roof creaking with earnest and Haru got so excited he nearly just slipped down the ladder so he could meet Makoto half way.

Makoto’s grin appeared over the lip of the roof, and Haru couldn’t help but smile back at him. “Hey,” Makoto greeted, pulling himself over the edge of the roof. He settled next to Haru comfortably, “Eugh it’s wet.”

Haru grunted in reply, only wanting to feel Makoto close to him. He was immediately pressing Makoto’s chest back so Haru could recline on him. Nothing could describe the feeling of being pressed against Makoto’s body. Nothing as simple as ‘cuddling’ could even dare to shape the overwhelming feeling in Haru’s chest that blossomed whenever he heard Makoto’s heartbeat.

“Hey Haru,” Makoto said just as Haru closed his eyes, perfectly content in taking a nap right here. In Makoto’s arms Iwatobi didn't matter. Iwatobi had tried everything to try to get them to stop relying so heavily on each other, but it never worked. Iwatobi  had given up eventually. Haru took their relationship as his one and only victory. Makoto stood for not only the most important person in Haru’s life, but the thoughts of Makoto were the only ones that kept him sane.

“Yeah?” Haru picked up his head, looking at Makoto. Makoto’s smile was big and toothy, edging on mischievous, and he lifted two cola bottles in one hand.

“You didn't let me get to these.” Makoto laughed, handing one of the cold tins to Haru.

“Did you steal these?” Haru mumbled, his eyes wide. Makoto nodded like he was proud of himself, and Haru was proud of him too. “Iwaotobi’s golden boy is turning into quite the rebel.” Haru’s voice was running on sarcasm, but Makoto didn't pick it up.

“Yeah!” He exclaimed, “I’m, gonna start stealing more food, they need to feed me better.” The innocence in Makoto’s tone made Haru’s heart swell with adoration.

“How’d you get this anyway?” Haru popped the lid on the drink, the drink hissing angrily at him upon being exposed.

“I broke the vending machine in Sasabe’s office,” Makoto said with a grin, like he had robbed a bank. There was various snack machines in all the offices, Haru had only been in Sasabe’s once where he had longingly looked at the snack machine he wasn't allowed to take from. Colorful packages of chocolate candies and fizzing drinks were confined in the glass cage. Before Haru could ask how Makoto freed the sodas from their glass imprisonment, Makoto answered him. “I just punched the buttons real hard and it gave me two sodas.” Makoto showed off his battle scars, which were little red marks on his knuckles.

“Nice,” Haru replied. Makoto opened his, their drinkings fizzing and hissing in unison. “Cheers,” Haru offered, holding his soda out in front of him. Makoto agreed, their tins clinking happily in unison as they met in a kiss. Haru moved his drink to his mouth so fast some of the soda froth spilled out onto his arm.

The only sound was needy gulps from the soda cans as if the two of them hadnt had a drink in years. Syrupy sweetness and crisp bubbles had Haru’s throat swelling, needily gulping down the candied drink without a second to spare. Haru considered himself as someone who didn't even like sugar all that much, but the cola had the fresh taste of freedom foaming on Haru’s tongue , carbonation made his throat bubble with the sweet taste of something he wasn’t supposed to have.

Makoto parted from his with a fluttering gasp. “Wow.” His eyelashes cast dancing shadows on his cheeks as he blinked furiously, as if he was trying to wake himself up from a dream. Haru swiped his thumb over the side of Makoto’s face, quickly wiping back foam from the soda that had fallen from Makoto’s mouth while he frantically chugged down the soda as if it would be ripped from his hands. “I’m gonna steal things more often,” Makoto smiled. His voice had a cuff of nervousness to it. He must’ve really wanted that soda, it took a lot to push Makoto even a step out of line.

“How bad did you wreck the buttons?” Haru asked softly, licking the opening of the soda can, careful not to cut his tongue.

“Pretty bad,” Makoto made a hissing noise in the back of his throat.

“Do you think it’ll let more stuff out if you punch it again?” Haru’s eyes glittered with mischief as he leaned in, begging Makoto with the need to cause havoc in his eyes. They never had sugar, at least not that much sugar, and Haru could feel excitement curl in his gut while the carbonated sugar popped and whizzed in his stomach.

Makoto shrugged. He thought for a moment, pinching his eyebrows together. “Umm,” Makoto paused again, smile settling on his face, “We could try.”

Haru chucked his empty soda so far it landed somewhere outside of Iwatobi’s gates. He nearly pushed Makoto off the roof as he shoved him to the ladder, the two men laughing like little boys as they slid off the roof and stomped noisily back into Iwatobi’s dorms.

Haru ran behind Makoto, making sure Makoto didn't have second thoughts, but he could tell only first thoughts were on Makoto’s mind as giggles passed his throat. The halls that smelt of chemicals and reflected the image of their running bodies only encouraged Haru to find that sweet taste of rebellion on his tongue again. Everything became a rush as Haru and Makoto sprinted down the dully lit hallways, lightbulbs flickering with every earth-splitting step they took.

Makoto and Haru skidded to a stop once they were in front of one of the main office doors. It was cracked open, making Makoto and Haru exchange looks. Makoto shushed Haru despite Makoto being the one who was laughing. With their backs pressed against the wall behind the door, Makoto peaked in cautiously.

Haru lit up with laughter as Makoto was suddenly pushing him away, yelling “Move!” in a sudden burst of excited energy. Haru and Makoto rounded a corner, Makoto tripping in his desperation to hide. He rolled behind the wall just in time for someone to come out of the office.

Haru and Makoto peaked over the wall.

It was a very disappointed looking guard who exited the office, his arms crossed. The pout on the guard's stern face did not match  the large gun in his belt at all. A second guard followed him, apparently comforting the other guy, her hand on his back. Haru understood why Makoto pushed him back down the hall, it was so they wouldn’t get caught.

“Who broke the snack machine?” He said, his tone running on hopeless. Makoto suddenly punched the wall and choked back a snort of laughter.

“I don’t know, I’m sure they’ll have it fixed,” The female guard reassured, walking her friend in the opposite direction that Makoto and Haru were at.

“I can’t beileve anyone could mash the buttons like that-” The two guards voices died down as they disappeared down the endless hallways. Makoto and Haru bounced up to the door to the office like excited children.

“Did you hear him?” Makoto barked, snorts of laughter interrupting his words.

“Hell yeah I did,” Haru grinned, his eyes cut with determination. The door was closed again, and proved locked when Makoto jiggled the handle. The office was offlimits, strictly not for the Iwatobi boys. But, the lock stopped no one.

“Kick it Haru!” Makoto cheered as Haru took a step back, easily slamming his foot into the lock in just the right way to make the door click and the doorknob rattle loudly. The satisfying snap that sounded deep inside the doorknob rattled through Haru’s ears, mixed with Makoto’s laughter-laced cheering.

The two easily pushed through the door, entering the office. This room bursted with warmth, couches replacing hard steel chairs and a large flat screen TV seated at the end of it. Makoto made a soft purr of awe in the back of his throat, Haru stopping to fondle the velvet of a loveseat. This was so much better than their own dark, blackened office room. This office had windows that filtered in cool night air, beautiful furniture- and what Haru and Makoto came here for- the glorious vending machine.

The buttons were pretty smashed, and Makoto didn't waste time in slamming his tight fist again into the helpless machine. The buttons split, the plastic part of the vending machine cracking inwards as Makoto’s curled knuckles forced themselves inside it.

Makoto and Haru waited for a second, Makoto shaking his hands off as they stared expectantly. Not a single snack was spit out of the vending machine, it didn't even budge. Makoto must’ve completely busted it the first time.

“The glass,” Haru said immediately, “Punch the glass, Makoto.”

“Than they’ll really know who it is,” Makoto weakly argued. Haru knew he’d still do it.

“Good.” Haru replied.

With that, Makoto took a step back and easily shattered the thin wall that kept the snacks out of their reach. It was more of a plastic material, but Makoto still shattered it like it was nothing. Shards of sharp plastic shot from Makoto’s fist, the whole structure shattering and crumbling under Makoto’s brute force.

Haru cheered, Makoto immediately grabbing as many chip bags as he could fit into his arms. “What do you want?” He asked, folding back the little steel spirals that were used to keep the snacks in place. Makoto bent and twisted them out of his way like they were pipecleaners. Haru did not have the chance to admire Makoto’s strength as his desire to taste freedom on his tongue was far too demanding.

“I want it all,” Haru said, and Makoto nodded in eager agreement.

Like a bear, Makoto wrestled with the machine for a moment, rattling its insides before yanking the entire shelves free one by one. The electrical wires inside the machine popped and snapped, letting out cracks of electricity as Makoto tore them from their places. Once the shelves were out, Haru worked on getting all the snacks out of their steel bars with his supple fingers. Haru was dumping an entire bag of M&M’s in his mouth by the time Makoto was done, not able to wait any longer.

The abused vending machine sat, creaking and sagging sadly as Makoto and Haru tore into it’s sweet and salty intestines like wild animals, laughing and spilling soda on every space of carpet they could manage. Makoto’s laughter was pure and genuine, escaping his mouth every time it wasnt blocked off with snacks. Haru’s snorts of enjoyment rattled through his skinny body harder than they ever had. His normal obedient silence was shattered right when Makoto shattered the glass.

“I swear I’m gonna be sick after this,” Makoto laughed, “I don’t even care.” Makoto looked back at the vending machine smugly, it’s shape sulking sadly in the corner with its steel frame bruised by Makoto’s hands.

Haru’s picnic of snacks was not interrupted by Makoto standing. Makoto was quick to sprint over to the door, propping a chair underneath the busted doorknob so no one could get in. He laughed like it was the funniest joke on the planet, his chuckles so deep they fetched noisy, hysterical snorts from deep inside Makoto. Haru tossed a chip bag at him. Makoto caught it, slapping it hard between his hands as the bag erupted with the pressure inside it, a loud pop pounding into the room as chips flew everywhere. Haru laughed that time, kicking his feet against the ground as the two boys howled like children.

Haru had seen Makoto drunk once. Sasabe thought it would be funny to sneak alcohol in poor, unsuspecting Makoto’s drink, and he drank so much unknowingly that by the end of the night he was sobbing and laughing hysterically all at once. Makoto’s legs that night shook with the influence of alcohol making his bones melt, his emotions scattered and unsure. Right now was nothing like that. Makoto stood tall, a flame in his eyes. He knew exactly what he was doing and he was having a blast with it. Makoto was drunk off of adrenaline and freedom and it lit new sparks inside of Haru.

“What’s gotten into you?” Haru breathed, completely smitten as Makoto shoved a handful of a Rice Crispy Treat into his mouth.

Makoto shrugged, his eyebrows arching bridges over his eyes as he grinned, mouth full of marshmallow sweets. Makoto’s adam's apple bobbed happily in reply to the sugary treat being swallowed down. “Oh god,” Makoto nearly moaned, “This is the best. I love food.”

Haru tossed a red M&M into the air, Makoto catching it as if he was meant for that and not snapping necks. The grin on Makoto’s face told Haru the role of M&M catcher was far more fitting than super-soldier. Makoto’s smile was big enough to arch his eyes, his dimples poking cuteness into his normally stiff jaw. Makoto’s teeth were white and perfect - everything about Makoto was perfect- and his laugh sounded like something Haru expected to hear if he ever made it to the gates of heaven.

Haru had never been so horny in his entire life. He was sure of it.

Haru had a fistfull of Makoto’s shirt balled in his hand and his entire mouth around Makoto’s, trying to swallow up Makoto as he had the snacks they had just been shoving into their mouths like drugs. Makoto laughed hysterics into Haru’s mouth as they kissed, tongues searching each others mouths. Haru had never been more attracted to the smell of salty potato chips and the slick of oil and spit that was in Makoto’s mouth, and never had he been more attracted to the sound of those damn laughs that Makoto couldn’t manage to silence. Haru never wanted him to stop.

When Makoto tried to pull back, Haru pulled him back in with a noisy slurp around Makoto’s tongue. Makoto gripped him and laughed harder, his entire body bouncing with the sugary buzz he had swallowed. Makoto’s big hands fisted in Haru’s shirt, rubbing his hands up Haru’s back with a pleased coo escaping his pursed smile.

Haru dove for Makoto’s neck, nearly holding the bigger boy in his lap as he licked down his neck. The wet, heated clicks of Haru’s lips and drags of his tongue twisted Makoto’s giggles into soft moans. They’d start out as little chuckles, Makoto holding onto the sound of them as his voice raised and wavered higher in a moan. He sounded sweet, sounded like honey-coated rebellion and Haru’s body desired it.

In a rush of heat and limbs Haru knocked Makoto back onto the floor, a chip from the previous explosion Makoto had caused crunching under him. Makoto started to laugh again.

“Ow,” He said weakly between his tear-inducing laughter, wincing at the discomfort from the broken chip. Makoto rolled over so he was no longer crushing the abused food, taking the opportunity to arch his toned back towards Haru.

“Do you even know what you do to me?” Haru breathed, lust curling in his throat with every word, but the end of laughter dancing off the end of his tongue as he finished his words.

“No,” Makoto replied, looking back at Haru with his tongue peeking behind grinning teeth, “Better show me.”

Haru’s breath was expelled out of his body as well as his self control. He grabbed Makoto’s hips to try and flip him over onto his back, despite enjoying the endless mountains of tight muscle Makoto’s back was shaped by, he made a noise of disappointment as Makoto refused to budge.

“‘Wanna make a mess on the carpet,” Makoto drawled, biting his lip so hard Haru saw the pinkest parts go white.

“Oh,” The speed that the blood in Haru’s chest flew to his head nearly knocked him out. “Than they’ll really, really know who did it,” Haru laughed, his voice disorientated by his near-death-experience.

“Good,” Makoto had never sounded more serious in his entire life. Haru didn't hesitate in tearing back Makoto’s flimsy pants with so much force he ripped the fabric around Makoto’s thick thighs. Makoto sat up only to help Haru get his pants off the curve of his long feet, settling back down into the soft carpet. Haru did not even go for foreplay as he ripped Makoto’s underwear back. Makoto leaped with surprise, his shoulders jolting upwards as the muscles in between pulled taught. Haru licked his lips, moving up to delve in the delicious spot between Makoto’s heavy shoulderblades, rocking Haru’s own clothed crotch into Makoto’s ass.

“Tickles,” Makoto laughed as Haru grinned against Makoto’s warm skin. His back was dusted in a sea of freckles, Haru trying to make time to kiss every single one of them. Makoto’s lofty chuckles caused the lust in the room to hang heavy over Haru’s head, but it destroyed none of the amusement the two shared over their current situation. Haru was almost disappointed there was no security cameras in this room, no would could ever witness this beautiful act of rebellion.

“We don’t have anything for lube,” Makoto suddenly said, sounding like that was only a minor setback. They normally used olive oil. Haru paused in thought. Makoto’s next smile was unsteady- “We could use cola.”

“Me and you both know that wouldn’t work,” Haru breathed out a chuckle, Makoto’s smile completely worth whatever nonsense just came out of his mouth. No way was Haru putting anything that came from the crying vending machine near his Makoto’s ass. “I don’t need to put it in.”

“True,” Makoto mumbled, “Probably for the best.” The ration didn't make sense but Haru didn't feel like hurting Makoto, so he opted for something else.

“We could jerk each other off,” Haru suggested. A little of Makoto’s shyness finally shone through when his cheeks blossomed red with embarrassment at the casualty in Haru’s tone.

“Yeah,” Makoto agreed, shuffling up to a sit. Their legs brushed up against each other, Makoto’s legs twice as thick as Haru’s. It was the same case for Makoto’s cock. Makoto was huge in every aspect. Haru frustrated when his normally skillful hands shook as he tried to unbutton his pants.

Eventually Haru kicked them to his ankles, pulling down his underwear just enough so he could fetch his cock out of them. Makoto wasted no time in touching Haru.

Makoto’s hands were big and rough, he had the touch of an inexperienced virgin and Haru loved all of it. The rough fisitng of Makoto’s brute hands could bring Haru to climax in seconds. It was just enough pain to give Haru his fill on his masochistic side that only craved Makoto’s attention. Haru shook with a loud moan, his shaking fingers high on not only candy, but also Makoto. Makoto’s heavy shoulders weighed down on him as he drank up Haru’s expression, his green eyes heavy with lust but also wrinkled with the smile that never left his face. Haru had never felt so happy and so horny in his whole life.

Haru’s fingers danced over the head of Makoto’s cock, Makoto’s entire body jolting to life with a touch as simple as that. Makoto was always sensitive. Haru liked this view best- Makoto’s legs spread and his eyes locked with Haru’s body. Every small fondle and touch Haru’s thin fingers made making Makoto’s muscles pull and his jaw clench.

Sex with Makoto was always a rush of emotion, emotions that blocked out anything around them and clouded it with the grasp of pleasure. It made everything okay. Except this time, everything was okay, it didn't have to change anything. Nothing was clouded. Everything was okay and had been okay for the past hour, and the heat of sex only enhanced everything as Makoto’s rough hand dragged over the weeping skin of his cock. Haru knew how to treat Makoto and Makoto knew how to treat him, Haru’s fingers the exact opposite of rough on Makoto’s thick cock. Gentle caresses of supple fingertips had Makoto’s legs clanging against Haru’s as he squirmed, only making the rough jerks to Haru’s own cock harder, in turn making Haru moan in desperation. Smearing precum down Makoto’s twitching erection, Haru craved to taste it, wondering if it would taste better than the snacks they had eaten not less than five minutes ago. Makoto was thick and big in his hand, twitching nervously every few seconds as if it too was hyper off sugar. It was so much but it was so good, the heavy fondle of Makoto’s most private areas made Haru’s heart swell with love and his cock twitch with arousal.

“Fuck,” Makoto swore, jolts that traveled down Haru’s spine making him writhe pathetically at the single word.  “Feels- ah!- Good, Haru.”

“Yeah,” Haru agreed softly, the slapping of Makoto’s hand against his pelvis making Haru’s head spin with the frantic beat. Makoto’s hand closed around Haru’s sensitive arousal in a way Haru could never dream of feeling with anyone other than Makoto. Tight and dry, the only slickness of the actions were Haru’s precum and Makoto’s clammy hand-sweat. It was raw and rough and made Haru crave more. Nothing made sense but the nonsense begging in Haru’s head- screams of _please,_ and _Yes!,_ and _More._ _._

Haru’s hands started to tremble as Makoto’s rough jerks sped up, his cock drooling shamelessly into Makoto’s hand. Haru’s thumb dragged up the thick vein on the underside of Makoto’s arousal, pushing his thumb over the fathead and rubbing into Makoto’s slit. Makoto howled, his voice cuffed and high with laughter but yet low with the sweet baritones of Makoto’s moans. His jaw clenched as Haru did his best to massage the drooling head, losing himself quickly in Makoto’s fist.

Haru didn't realize he was handling Makoto too roughly until Makoto let out a cry and Haru’s hand felt sticky. Makoto’s shoulders tensed up as if he never would release them ever again, Haru completely missing that sweet orgasm face and only witnessing the aftermath. He regretted it, regretted missing the sweet drag of Makoto’s teeth along his lip and the yelp that passed them despite being closed. Makoto’s cock jerked in Haru’s hand, Makoto stuttering out broken pieces of Haru’s name as he shivered from over-sensitivity.

Haru let go, staring at Makoto. He did not move -just watched- Makoto regaining himself as his eyelashes fluttered. He finally met Haru’s eyes. Makoto blinked whatever post-orgasmic clouds out of his eyes. The color of green in Makoto’s soft eyes had always been that of brilliant despite looking somewhat like a favorite sweater that had been washed too many times, or maybe that of a thick forest right between the crosshairs of winter and spring. But right now they were dark, dark like the bottom of a murky swamp, his normally gentle eyes could now slice diamonds with the fierce lust that suddenly drove Makoto’s hand to tense around Haru’s cock.

Haru’s climax came so fast it felt like a train hit him. Everything hurt, hurt with the need and pleasure Makoto gave to him through his tight, loving fist- and then he jolted and cried out in silence, tears pricking his eyes as satisfying release made his emotions rush upon him like a crashing ocean. Sweet pleasure jolted up his body even as his cock went soft.

Haru watched through tear-blurred vision as Makoto wiped his hand, sticky with Haru’s climax, onto the carpet. Makoto beamed like a madman, making Haru blink in confusion. “Our cum is on the carpet,” Makoto whispered with his grin pulling at his words, sounding so excited that his voice could’ve been mistaken for childhood wonder if not for the subject matter being the white, sticky mess tangled in the carpet.

Haru’s chest hurt he laughed so hard.

Makoto’s arms found him eventually. They lay, tangled in each others limbs with sweets dancing over their minds, sugar-coating every touch and every glance they stole from each other. They fed each other the taste honey-covered freedom in both the food they fed each other and the kisses they shared. They spent the night laughing in a room they shouldn’t be in, doing things they shouldn't be doing, and eating things they shouldn't be eating.

If there was one thing Haru knew Iwatobi could never take from him, it was Makoto.

/**/

“Before I even dare to check the security tapes, which one of you four did this?”

Makoto found the way Sasabe glared down Nagisa hysterical. As if little Nagisa could tear apart a vending machine like Makoto did. Sure, Nagisa loved snacks, but no way he could even dream of smashing the buttons as hard as Makoto had. Nagisa opened his mouth to argue but closed it again, looking at the floor with shame in his eyes as if he did really do it.

“I trust you to tell me, be a good boy,” Sasabe inquired, his voice not in intimidating territory but the rasp of a growl ran lightly on his voice.

Makoto looked at Haru. Haru’s face was stern but bright red, choking back laughter. Makoto couldn’t take it, he snorted and tensed up with a grin on his pursed lips. Sasabe’s neck cracked he looked at Makoto so fast, his eyes bulging out of his old, wrinkled sockets at the tiny snort Makoto made. Makoto started to laugh, his knees growing weak as the memory of last night had him losing control. “It was us!” Makoto admitted, prouder than he should’ve been. Haru was crouching on the floor, his head in his hands as his chest heaved with the constrictions of laughter. Nagisa and Rei’s shocked expressions made Makoto’s laughter multiply, tears streaking down his cheeks. He was convinced there was some sugar still in his system because Makoto felt high. His body felt like it was floating, and he was proud of it , staring down at Sasabe with a smug expression he couldn't quite pull off because he was laughing too hard.

“I could expect this out of Haru,” Sasabe’s voice wavered, Makoto wasn’t sure what it was teetering on but it drew out the snorts in his laugh, “But _you_?”

“I-I,” Makoto wheezed, trying to collect himself, “I punched it like twice and Haru kicked down the door and, and,” Makoto couldn’t get out the last part. He was howling by the mere thought of it, his weakening legs bent at the joints as they shook with delirious laughter.

Haru could get it out though. “We had sex in the office!” Haru’s voice was loudest Makoto had heard it in six years, the fire in his shameless bark caused the laughter to spread to Nagisa. Rei even wore a small smile, and he wasn’t someone who normally found the idea of sex to be amusing.

Haru’s laughter was finally loud and shameless, he was still desperately trying to cover his mouth, but the unstoppable force of delight over what they had done could not be silenced despite Haru’s attempts.

Sasabe stood completely still. Makoto for once did not the incoming fear of the taser, he would feel no shame for this, this little piece that he was glad had been a part of his life. He felt his ego swell at the shock on Sasabe’s face, dumbfounded that his favorite toy acted out.

Haru and Makoto’s laughter was so hard Makoto didn't even notice Sasabe started to laugh. His cackles old and worn with age but just as hysterical as Makoto and Haru. The boys’ meeting room was filled with red faces and the light sound of amused glee.

“This is the funniest thing that’s happened all year,” Sasabe choked out, pointing his wavering finger at Makoto, who at this point was on the floor trying to regain his breath. “You, you two,” Sasabe laughed, “I should punish you both terribly but, oh,” Makoto or Haru for once did not stiffen upon hearing the word ‘punishment.’ “That is hysterical.” Sasabe wiped tears from his eyes, “Even funnier than the time you got drunk, Makoto.”

After everything calmed- somewhat as laughter was still echoing in the barren empty room like a really bad chorus-  Nagisa and Rei were dismissed. The two impressionable youths chatted loudly about what Makoto and Haru had done on their way out, Nagisa giddy with excitment and Rei looking genrally shocked. After the show that Sasabe had put on after Nagisa acted out, Makoto felt the rebellion was even more morally correct.

Makoto and Haru sat alone with Sasabe, Makoto was comfortable knowing there was going to be no repercussions. Sasabe would keep Nagisa and Rei in the room if he were going to do that.

“You two,” Sasabe’s voice was still light with laughter as he spoke,  “I swear if you two do this again, they’ll be some serious trouble,” Makoto and Haru exchanged glances, “But I’ll let this slide for the sheer amusement of this. Imagine how funny everyone else will find this! Our Makoto, destroying the vending machine and having sex on the-” Sasabe started to laugh again, but he swallowed it back down, “I won’t torture you both too much.”

The buzz of the taser made Makoto leap out of his skin. The metal instrument was whipped out of Sasabe’s belt, the older man’s fist curled tight around it as the instrument lit up with a macabre display of sparks, resurrecting Makoto’s recurring nightmares. His skin boiled at the sight of it, and he stepped back cautiously. He gulped, swallowing nervous bile down his throat. Haru looked confused, gripping Makoto’s arm.

Makoto should’ve been used to this. But when it was gaurds taking him down it felt different. With Sasabe, the way his hands gripped at the taser like he was excited, the way a smile never left his face, it made Makoto’s heart crawl into his stomach. Sasabe was Makoto’s father figure, Sasabe was someone Makoto had endless respect for, Makoto hated having such a powerful weapon in the hands of someone loved dearly whom used it against him.

“Wait, you said you would let it-” Haru spoke, but cut himself off. Haru knew Sasabe was just lessening the torture by making Nagisa and Rei leave the room. ‘Let it slide’ was letting Makoto and Haru go off embarrassment free.

“Boys, don’t make this any more painful,” Sasabe called. The tense in his voice was like he was holding back a smile. Haru looked at Makoto, desperate to soothe the tense in his arm and the panic in his eyes as he stared down the electricity beaming from the taser. It’s white hot sparks danced onto the cold ground, burning themselves out as soon as they hit it.

Makoto bit his lip. He glanced back at Haru, tearing his eyes away slowly. Makoto closed his eyes and stepped forward, turning his head to the side to expose the sensitive skin.

The next hour passed strangely. This wasn’t real punishment, Real punishment was distributed in labs with ropes and ties to keep them from moving an inch as various syringes were pushed into their flesh while they screamed their throats raw. Or, at least, that’s what real punishment was in Makoto’s case. Sasabe’s ‘punishments’ were rare, spurr of the moment. Normally they were dished out because Sasabe’s bosses demanded him to get control over his boys. This was not training, this was not any of that. This was nothing serious that Iwatobi had anything to do with, this was Sasabe’s own doing with a bit of peer-pressure thrown into the mix.

The tense of Makoto’s muscles wasn’t as tight and his skin didn't quite reach the boiling point where it started to drip off his body. This was casual. The whole deal resembled a dog being swatted over the head with a newspaper for sitting on the sofa. Still his throat went raw with screams and his blood boiled to the point that it bubbled over and spilt out of his mouth in painful coughs.

Tasers were old news and Makoto knew the heat was cranked down, but still the taser created a pain unlike any other. Makoto had never felt anything so strong in his entire life, he was eternally submissive to it’s buzz and easily dropped to his knees on command when Sasabe told him to. It rattled his insides with scorching jolts, clouding his brain with the agony of electricity. It fried his nerves and left him as a twitching mess of useless muscle and tangled limbs on the floor, drooling out shamelessly onto the hard tiles that decorated the floor.

The taser was far too much for Haru’s thin frame. While Makoto regained himself, jerking in a heap on the floor, Haru’s bones echoed with the pain of a baton forcing over his spine while the taser was discarded on the floor by Makoto’s fried as a reminder. Haru did not cry out, he stayed silent as his body was beat repeatedly into the metal force of the weapon. He bit down so hard on his own teeth he swore he swore he heard one shatter, though it was probably just another bone in Haru’s body. When the crack of one of Haru’s ribs echoed in the silent room, Sasabe stopped.

Once the words of ‘dismissed’ passed Sasabe’s lips Makoto had scooped up unconscious Haru into his arms and carried him out. Haru’s nose was bleeding and lip fat,  his little body crumpled and bloody in Makoto’s twitching arms. Makoto’s own body was blistered and baked by the force of the taser. Makoto and Haru had not been repeatedly tortured like this in a very, very long time.

“Worth it,” Were the first words uttered from Haru, his voice a mere whisper as he wheezed. Makoto nodded happily, last night was indeed worth every second of that. Possibly the torture made it all the more worth it. With no repercussions, Makoto would’ve never even considered last night’s feat a rebellion. The scorch of electricity made Makoto appreciate the sweet taste of chocolate and soda on his tongue even more.

“We’re still never doing that again,” Makoto mumbled, his jaw slack. He hadn’t had enough time to wipe the drool off his own lips.. Thankfully Haru understood him, even while half-asleep.

“Yeah,” Haru agreed easily, every breath gasp Haru let out sounding pained, like the baton had pounded Haru’s lungs into nothing. That’s sure what it felt like.

“Let’s just, keep that little peice of freedom for ourselves.” Makoto whispered. Makoto’s stomach was still full with the happiness of sugary snacks and salty bags of processed garbage. His mind replaying how hysterical laughter really felt. It was something that would last in Makoto’s mind forever, the beating just getting lost in the sea of repeated memories. “Anything broken?” Makoto asked. Haru rolled his eyes as if annoyed with the question.

“Probably,” He huffed. They both left conversation. Makoto dragged the both of them too their rooms, wincing with every burning step. He did not prepare himself for Haru’s bruised and broken skin, he wanted to avoid that sight for as long as he could before he had no other choice but to stare into the ruins of his Haru’s beautiful skin and pop each of Haru’s limbs back into the aching sockets.

At least Makoto could die happily knowing he had done something against the rules for at least once in his life.

 

//**//

 

It had been... Two weeks.

Maybe? Possibly it was three weeks. No, four.

Sousuke’s teeth gritted together. How long had he been here? He did not experience night nor day in this windowless room and he suspected he had been starting to go crazy. The silence in the room shifted from either a gentle hum that caressed his ears or a sharp ringing that stabbed right through them. Exhaustion weighed on him. He hadn’t slept soundly ever since he got here. The position he was in did not allow such a luxury- his head hanging between his knees which were thankfully curled into his chest instead of swelling and blistering on the hard, unforgiving floor.

The constant pain was reduced to a gentle sibilation, he was never quite able to relax but yet never able to writhe in pain either.  Sousuke had to look at his legs every five minutes to remind himself that, yes, they were still intact. His arms were another question entirely. He had no idea if they were still there or not, Sousuke did not dare to pull on his restraints to test it.

Sousuke had no idea why Iwatobi did not kill him yet. Sousuke was passed the point of no return, everything in his brain was reduced to a constant buzz, his memories retreating further back in his brain every time he tried to find them.

He could not quite remember the color of Rin’s hair. Though whatever it was it was red and it was beautiful.

The sound of the door opening to his cell was one of the most relieving noises in the world. Hearing Hazuki’s voice, or getting decked in the face, or having his nose re-broken, it gave him something to ground on. Something to remind himself that he was still alive, and that he could still feel.

His faded eyes glanced at the door he heard the familiar slide of it. He was almost panting, like a dog begging for food- he was sure the next few minutes would consist of begging Hazuki to kick him in the face as hard as he possibly could. Maybe if Hazuki hit him hard enough, Sousuke would get the luxury of seeing stars.

Though Hazuki did not walk through the door, and the fear that Sousuke felt was almost relieving.

Tachibana was even more intimidating without crutches. His hands no longer trembled at his sides, and instead he stood tall and proud as he strode over to Sousuke’s pathetic mass, not a single limp in his now strong legs.

Tachibana cleared his throat as he knelt down. His hair was the color of warm caramel and Sousuke was so delusional he could almost taste the sweetness of the stuff on his tongue. “Hello,” Tachibana greeted ,his voice stiff with shock. He stared, nearly unblinking at Sousuke.

Sousuke made notes. Quickly trying to jot down everything about the only friendly face in this nightmare and store it into his memory, so that when he died he could find comfort in green eyes and warm skin. Makoto’s eyes were green and he had freckles, tan skin and big muscles- that was the only real information Sousuke could process before Tachibana moved his hand forward, interrupting Sousuke’s intense thought. He jerked backwards, terror seizing his normally numb body, his chains clinking loudly as they tugged back on his limp wrists to keep him in place.

“Not doing too good, hm?” Tachibana had the nerve to ask. With Sousuke leaning as far back as he could go, Tachibana’s big hands shattered Sousuke’s personal space and grazed his rough knuckles over Sousuke’s cheek- “You look like a mess.”

Mess couldn’t even begin to describe what Sousuke felt at the moment. He stared openly at Tachibana, Tachibana staring back. Silence apparently made Tachibana uncomfortable and he shifted, crossing his legs on the floor. Sousuke could not tell what was on Makoto’s mind, so instead he tried to describe it to himself. His eyebrows were raised and pinched together at their tips, eyes curved in gentle crescents, his lips slightly agape- oh- Tachibana felt bad. That was it. Tachibana wore the face of sympathy.

“Yamazaki-san,” Tachibana’s voice was as gentle as what Sousuke’s mother possibly sounded like, “What are you thinking about?” Tachibana’s question was riddled with worry.

Sousuke wanted to reply with a real answer, but his detachment to everything around him made his lips work in a way that did not even remotely relate to Makoto’s question. “Fuck.” Was all Sousuke said. Makoto spluttered out a laugh, it sounded tense with confusion but amusement was still thick in his tone. Sousuke was too out of it to even be offended.

Makoto wrestled with the cuffs for a moment, unlocking them with a key Sousuke didn't know he had. “C’mon, let’s check you out,” Makoto’s voice was as soft as the blankets on Sousuke’s bed back home. The sound of his voice brought back warm memories of hazy mornings with Rin, waking up to the sunny smell of pancakes.

Makoto moved Sousuke onto his back, the same first aid kit from before at his sides. Once Sosuke felt the weight off his neck the world around him faded into an exhausted blur. He felt nothing as he slept, Makoto’s hands and the bandages and alcohol he surrounded Sousuke’s injuries in were nothing more than small, unnoticeable benefits in Sousuke’s slumber.

When Sousuke woke up it was natural. The first time that had happened in a while. It was slow, the heavy weight of sleep slipping away as an even heavier reality became present. His eyes stung with the white burn of the entire room, tears dripping from his sockets as he tried to blink them clean. Sousuke moaned- his head feeling like a brick. His hands were still free, maintaining the most comfortable position he had been in for the time in Iwatobi. It felt like a dream, his spine was straight, blood circulating as normal despite the rock hard floor his head rested on.

Tachibana’s presence in the room existed as a blurry form in the corner, sitting relaxed in a chair not too far away. Sousuke tried to lift his head, but his neck ached with the need to stay in this position. New wrappings surrounded his new injuries, his wrists redone with new bandages. His face felt freezing, but then he realized he had ice pressed up against his nose.

“Oh! You’re awake,” Tachibana chattered, setting the book his face was buried in down. “How was your sleep?” He asked, as if he didn't expect Sousuke to answer, and that he was just trying to fill the void of silence.

Makoto came over, setting his book on the table so he could help Sousuke back into a sit. One hand held the ice to Sousuke’s face while the other pushed his back up, Sousuke working together with him to sit. Still, Sousuke relied heavily on the sturdy hand supporting his back.

“How” Sousuke started, testing how words sounded on his tongue, “how longs’t been?”

Makoto thought for a moment, “You’ve been sleep for about five hours,” Makoto explained softly. Sousuke was shocked Makoto even waited that long, “But you’ve been in Iwatobi for a little over two weeks.”

A little over two weeks... Sousuke huffed, this felt like an eternity.

“Sleep did do you some good,” Makoto said with  happy grin, noting Sousuke’s attitude had returned.

Makoto let him drink down some cold water, washing his mouth free of blood and spit, Makoto holding the water bottle up to Sousuke’s mouth so he didn't have to attempt it with his own shaking hands. It flushed out Sousuke’s drying body, the heavy heat inside him being sloshed away by the cool stream of clean water as he emptied the bottle.

Makoto was pulling pictures out of his pockets, varied memories that he displayed to Sousuke in the form of grainy pictures. Sousuke had no clue why Makoto was showing him them. They were simple things, the first handful somewhat recent pictures of the Iwatobi boys. They never wore straight faces in the pictures, they were nothing like the propaganda photos Sousuke saw the Iwatobi boys exist in. These pictures were not meant for the public. These were Makoto’s pictures. He owned them, probably even took some of them.

“This is Haru and I hanging out on a tank,” Makoto explained with a smile, pointing to the massive form of the tank in the picture. The photo was slightly old, Makoto and Haru looked like late teenagers. Haru’s hair was styled into a bowl cut, Sousuke recognised the old haircut from his early days of starting the FreeBird project, and Makoto’s hair was nearly as long as Rin’s and tied back into the tiniest of ponytails. Haru laid on the top of the tank seductively, one hand on his hip and his lips pursed in joking lust. Makoto stood on the ground -though he was almost as tall as the tank- and he was bent over, hands pressed together like he was in prayer. It was possibly the most stupidly amusing thing Sousuke had ever seen come out of the Iwatobi boys. Really, Sousuke knew hardly anything about them, other than what Iwatobi released about them. “The weapon yard is the most time outside we get other than missions,” Makoto explained, “We make the best of it.” Makoto paused, and instead of shuffling to the next picture, he paused. “What do you and Rin do in your free time? Are you guys allowed outside?”

All Sousuke did was nod. Makoto seemed mystified by the thought of that.

“Like, freely? You go outside freely? To the towns and stuff?”

Sousuke nodded again. Makoto seemed impressed. “What’s that like?” Makoto questioned, “Do you... Buy your own clothes?” Sousuke nodded yes, Makoto eyes as big as saucers, plated with wonder, his green eyes sparkling with interest. “Do you go see movies? I’ve always wanted to go to the movies! What’s it like?”

Sousuke closed his eyes, letting himself be swallowed by darkness as he searched for an answer. “It smells like salt,” Sousuke answered softly, opening his eyes, “And it’s.. Cold.”

“Tell me about your favorite movie,” Makoto questioned softly, his face slowly losing that shock, but instead he replaced it with focus. It was like Makoto was trying to live it through Sousuke’s explanations.

Sousuke felt sympathy turn in his gut. It was a nice feeling, a warmth spreading in his heart that made his brain start to tick. It was much kinder emotion than fear and pain.

“It’s hard to pick, o-one,” Sousuke’s tongue felt unused and dry. The most he had been using it for recently was screaming, never to form words. “There's, one about  dog I like.” Sousuke watched Makoto’s lips prick into a smile.

Sousuke closed his eyes again, seeing the form of a golden animal basking in the sunlight, its heavy black lips hanging open to make way for its pink tongue that was made especially for slobbery kisses. It’s eyes were brown and drooping in kindness. “The dog was, golden. He was real cute.”

“Was he big?” Makoto asked hopefully, Sousuke nodding in reply. Sousuke could remember how Rin cried over that movie, and possibly the reason Sousuke liked it so much was because he got to kiss Rin’s tears. “I like big dogs,” Makoto whispered like a small child ,his voice vulnerable and unknowing of the world.

Sousuke opened his eyes again. “The dog goes on a adventure to get back home,” Sousuke explained, “He goes through a lot but he gets there.” Makoto’s smile was so big that Sousuke didn't dare to crush his dreams by telling him that the beautiful golden retriever died in the arms of his owner at the end.

They were silent for a great while, the two boys both in deep thought. The gears in Sousuke’s mind started to turn, the cobwebs being dusted off by Makoto’s smile.

“Where is your favorite place to go?” Makoto asked, laying down on his stomach with his hands holding up his head, his legs slowly kicking back and forth in the air. He looked like a very, very large child...

“There's a tea place I like to go to,” Sousuke answered. His heart started to beat as he could almost smell the pumpkin spice hanging in the air of the little tea house, it was crisp and honey-coated, the whole place shining with warm hues whenever the sun came in. The place was made of wood and bees buzzed around its structure, recommending people to go there. Sousuke couldn't help but talk about it, speaking helped his mind uncover lost memories and bring them back to reality, “It smelt like pumpkin in there. Real pretty, Everything was really warm...” Sousuke took a slow, deep intake, trying to see if he could smell the earthy sweetness of floral honey that surrounded the building in a pleasant haze. He only smelt the emptiness of this room though, but the memory still caressed his insides with the faint taste of steaming tea.

“That sounds really nice,” Makoto whispered, his voice as airy as the steam that came billowing out of the memories of tea. It was like Makoto too had once been there and dreamed of its earthy decor.

Makoto’s eyes widened and he let out  soft “oh!”, clearly remembering something. He started shuffling through the thin bundle of photos he had brought . Sousuke stared in interest as Makoto pulled out three specific pictures. They were worn with the ravishes of time but still okay enough to pick out colors.

They were little. Oh, seeing the Iwatobi boys as nothing but innocent, small kids really got Sousuke’s gears grinding. A chubby faced Nagisa sat on a older, but still very small Makoto’s shoulders. Haru stood close, holding Makoto’s hand tightly, Rei peaking around Makoto’s wide shoulders. Rei looked like he was fresh out of preschool, but he held a massive book in his tiny hands, Sousuke could say with confidence that he had never even attempted to read a book that size in all his life.

Than, Sousuke saw him. Hands intertwined with Haru’s free hand, his arm lifted as if he had won a wrestling match. Sousuke’s heart fluttered at the sight of a tiny Rin, big grin full of jumbled sharp teeth. Some were missing, some were crowded, but Rin’s smile stayed true to happiness. Sousuke had never seen a picture of little Rin before, most photos of Rin before he was taken were destroyed by Iwatobi to attempt to get society to forget about their loss. His hair was long and that familiar color of deep scarlet, his gangly childhood limbs spread out with untamable childish glee.

All of them looked happy. Innocent, big eyed, the world was open and new. Their talents not yet exposed and their brains not yet molded like dough. The guns strapped to Nagisa and Makoto’s hips were simply play toys, the bullets inside them used to shoot down cans instead of bodies.

That look existed in Rin’s eyes always. His red eyes lit with flames and suddenly Sousuke could remember the inferno of Rin’s eyes that Sousuke let devour him whole when he first met him like it was yesterday. Rin’s eyes were cut into determined points, the redness of his stare leaving whomever Rin glaned at scorching.

Tachibana on the other hand, his eyes were faded. The green that was once bright in the picture, sparkling like the vast forest on a sunny morning, were instead caught in crosshairs of winter.

Sousuke stared at the picture for a great while. It felt like ages since he had seen Rin. The numbness Sousuke felt before was gone upon seeing the picture, the ache in his bones finally reaching his brain, the pain was intense ,swelling in his broken nose and the pulsating of his green bruises were suddenly all noticeable. But nothing compared to the agony of missing Rin.

Sousuke had kept Rin in mind this entire time, but he never really had the chance to miss him. His lips started to tremble, dragging down to let his bottom lip pout, his body quivering with the impending tears finding the back of his eyes.

He felt pathetic, crying in front of Tachibana. But, once the first tear passed his cheek he couldn’t help it. Muffled whimpers of long suppressed cravings slipped up his throat and over his lips, the burn of tears down his bruised cheeks only providing him with the sweet image of Rin kissing them away, only making more tears appear.

His body twitched as emotions found him in one rush, finally letting out the tears that badly needed release.

“Yamazaki-san,” Makoto whispered, his brows pinched together in worry. His green eyes flicked around the room as if searching for a cure.

“I miss him,” Was all Sousuke could get out. Everything here was scary and Sousuke knew seeing Rin would make everything better. Rin’s arms made Sousuke feel like nothing could get to him, and he longed for the feeling of Rin’s arms around him, kissing his bruises and healing his heartache. “I’m never gonna see him again, I’m never gonna see anyone again, I’m so _scared_.”

“Shh, Hey,” Tachibana’s voice was immediate. His voice was smooth with tender speech, his voice full of worry but his sound soothing and soft. Sousuke felt rough hands find his cheeks, and though they were not Rin he still appreciated the affectionate touch of another human. Tachibana pulled him into the most gentle of hugs, afraid to rouse Sousuke’s injuries, pressing Sousuke’s head lovingly to the crook of his shoulder. Sousuke sobbed into the other boy, feeling hidden from the rest of the world as he gripped Tachibana tight. “You will see him again,” Makoto’s words were nothing beyond comfort.

Sousuke could not find words that he could reply with. He just sobbed, his body wracked with the absence of Rin.

“Don’t give up, Yamazaki-san,” Makoto whispered, petting Sousuke’s hair sweetly, “Stay determined. It’ll be just fine..”

Sousuke appreciated every word that came from Tachibana’s lips, his hands rubbing circles into Sousuke’s back. It was like Tachibana was used to comfort. Tachibana knew what to say to calm someone down like a mind reader, he knew the swipe of soft kisses against the hairline, he knew how to make his voice sound like that of a peaceful slumber.

Sousuke cried for a great time. Letting out the cold that Rin’s absence had left him with, the numbness expelling out his body with every fat tear and every muffled sob. Tachibana dried his face with his hands, forehead kissing calming the fight in Sousuke’s brain.

It was after Sousuke only panted and wheezed out words that did not have any connection or make any sense, the door to the prison was slammed on by a knocking fist. Makoto’s head shot up, and Sousuke worried he would get in trouble.

Tachibana glanced back at Sousuke, a promise to return in his eyes. Tachibana rose to his full, terrifying height, pacing over to the door. Sousuke eavesdropped on the entire conversation.

“Tachibana-san!” Someone spoke, possibly a guard or a officer considering the terms of respect he used for Tachibana, “A rebellion has appeared suddenly in the western district, we must get you and your squad down there immediately.”

“How bad is it?” Was Tachibana’s first reply. Sousuke was glad he wasn’t in trouble.

“They have not resorted to violence but the crowd is huge, and they refuse to stop. Sasabe already has a plan of action in place,” The other replied with, Tachibana replying in a hum.

“I’ll be in the weapon yard shortly,” Tachibana said, apparently dismissing the guard as the steel door slid shut.

Tachibana crawled back, kneeling on the floor. He silently clicked Sousuke’s cuffs back into place.

Tachibana’s eyes lingered on Sousuke for a while, tense in worry, and all Sousuke could do was look away and let out a pathetic sniffle. He felt like a child... Tachibana’s lips broke into a reassuring smile, his lips curling upwards and pressing taught.

“I’ll be back in a few days,” Tachibana said, “I’ll try to check in on you more, okay? Is that alright?”

Sousuke nodded. Of course it was alright. Only thirty minutes of talking to Tachibana inspired Sousuke’s brain to start working properly again. Though, whether that was a good or bad thing, Sousuke did not know, because the burst of pain in his nose was not really desirable.

Makoto hands were gentle as they smoothed over Sousuke’s bruised jaw, pressing a comforting caress over Sousuke’s being. The kiss Tachibana pressed to Sousuke’s forehead was soft but lingered for a great while, the kiss being that of reassuring and a promise to return. “Stay strong, okay? I know you can do that, tough guy,” Tachibana smiled as he stood, Sousuke feeling embarrassed but awkwardly touched by a killing machine calling him ‘tough guy’.

Makoto’s boots clicked against the ground as he left, leaving Sousuke alone in the silent room with the agonizing burn of sweet memories of Rin burning his skin.

  
  
  
  
  


  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey ya so thanks for reading! if you comment i'll love you forever <33 comments help me so much . but thanks for reading it just that alone is pretty great!! 
> 
> im really sorry for ignoring rei hes literally one of my favorites and i just neglect him in fics. hell be more prominent in later chapters  
> btw the chapter title is a word i thought looked cool when i put 'sweet' into a thesaurus 
> 
> tumblr @ lace--prince.tumblr.com  
> twitter @ laceeprince


	4. Freebird

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ooh i dont like how this chapter came out. I like the second half and I worked decently hard on it but . oh godthe first half. its bad. im so sorry sousuke for failing ur backstory
> 
> ALSO I JUST FUCKING REALIZED ALL THE CHAPTER TITLES ARE SYNONYMS FOR KIDNAP/TAKE BESIDES SACCHIRINE WHOOPS 
> 
> anyways, chapter summary: sousuke reflects on how gay he is, haru and rin are both very bitter and makoto is trying his best . let nagisa shoot things 2k16
> 
> ( im rlly sorry i dont give rei/nagisa enough attention in this fic they will have their own little arc at some point )
> 
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> ((important!)) EDIT ( 10/23/ 16 )) // Hey!! I've noticed a really big lack of feedback on this fic. I'm not the kind of person whos like 'if i dont get 10 comments i wont post!' but to say the least seeing not a single comment for the past 3 days has been a little... well, worrying! I'm on this site for feedback and due to some personal issues I jump to conclusions w/o being told things. So, idk, I just worry that this fic isnt good and.. Yeah! I might discontinue it, just because i'm starting to get embarrassed over having it up because im taking the loss of feedback as a bad thing ///~/// idk, I might update this again, might not.. I'll let yo guys know once i know. thank you guys for reading it nonetheless!

Sousuke’s hands balled into tiny, fabric filled fists as he clutched at his father’s coat. Black, sleek material wrinkled in his hands, and he swallowed back tears as he hung onto the old jacket for ,what was to him, dear life.

Sousuke’s dad clicked his tongue, somehow softening under Sousuke’s touch even though he was seemingly always dense right before he was about to go on a mission. Sousuke’s father’s smile was blurry through Sousuke’s own tears, his thumbs cold as they brushed away Sousuke’s hot tears.

“Hey now,” His voice only smoothed to comfort that of his son’s tears. Sousuke knew he was important to his father. When his father pushed him off into the arms of Mikoshiba, telling him he would be the best soldier there ever was, Sousuke knew that was his way of saying ‘I love you’, despite not even hitting the double digits. Sousuke knew his father was a brash man, and seeing his smile soften like all of his battle scars and traumas did not exist when Sousuke met his eyes, Sousuke knew what love felt like. His father was the only person that truly mattered here. The strongest, the bravest man in the whole world. Even when mom met a terrible fate of falling ill, Sousuke’s father never dared to shed a tear infront of his son. “Don’t cry,” his father’s hug was soft, and Sousuke hopped up into it, wrapping his arms around his father’s shoulders.

“Don’t go,” Sousuke sniffled. Despite his father being the biggest, bravest man he ever met, Sousuke knew the horrors of Iwatobi. He knew the dangers of going outside while wearing that jacket, he knew his father and his squadron were looking for a fight.

“I’ll be fine, and so will you,” Sousuke’s father pushed him away only to touch his shoulders, looking him dead in the eye. Though, it did not scare Sousuke- the man who’s stare could make people surrender made Sousuke’s heart swell with admiration for his old man. “Chin up.”

Sousuke tensed, collecting all of his sadness and worry into one, painful gulp.

“I’ll see you soon,” His father’s lips pressed to his forehead in a tense moment of affection, Sousuke’s hands gripping the neck of his jacket. A last attempt to pull his father back in.

“Stay strong for me.” His father whispered, words hot and curled with the fuzzy memories that childhood liked to destroy. The last words Sousuke’s father ever said to him would never leave, simply change and shift with the force of time and materialize into the jacket. The jacket that represented strength and power and everything his father carried with him.

 

/**/

  
  
  


“Why do you always wear your jacket, Sousuke-senpai?”

Sousuke was used to consistent pestering but the question caught him off guard, so much so that he froze and stared down the smaller Mikoshiba like he was a freak of nature. Though, honestly, the smaller Mikoshiba was a freak of nature.

“Because I’m working,” Sousuke fixed the sleeves of his jacket as if to prove his point. They had been bunched up around his elbows, now they hung at his wrists. The jacket was still too big, dancing around the knuckle to his thumb. A deep black thing with white lines running up the sides, Sousuke had only seen other members wear it when they were doing missions, but they weren’t like Sousuke who was constantly on duty. Or at least, Sousuke imagined he was always on duty. He wasn’t even completely out of training yet, but he knew his father was such an important figure at Samezuka that he had a lot resting on him. A lot of weight came with the Yamazaki name, and Sousuke was the last of them.

The smaller Mikoshiba seemed to think about that for a while. Aiichiro kept his mouth shut, but he always did, so that didn't surprise Sousuke. Shoving another bite of a sandwich into his mouth, Sousuke refocused on his food. Though, Mikoshiba decided right now would be the time to demand his attention again.

“You’re eating, though,” Mikoshiba asked, his eyebrows flexing in confusion. He wasn’t even set off by a roll of Sousuke’s eyes, “You’re not working! Unless, are you on a spy mission, or something?”

“No,” Sousuke scoffed, “Why would I be on a spy mission in my own base?” Mikoshiba thought about that for a great time, even though there was no need to. As long as it shut him up, Sousuke supposed that was alright. The old jacket brought comfort and pride into his heart, the distraction of work bringing his focus to a head. The eldest Mikoshiba didn't at all seemed surprised that Sousuke was fit to be on the field at his young age, he did not need to wear pride on his face because it was already woven into the threads of the jacket.

As soon as Sousuke was finished eating he did not stick around. He left Momotaro and Aiichiro to themselves, exiting the mess hall with his stride heavy and stiff.

 _Stay strong for me_. The jacket was strength.

 

/ ** /

 

The ringing of sirens kept Sousuke up at night, eyes of violet betrayal and fear haunting his dreams whenever he did manage to sleep. Dragging his heavy, half-asleep body down the hall, Sousuke wondered if this was what victory felt like.

Cuffing his sleeves, Sousuke tried to maneuver the halls he walked down every day. For some reason he couldn’t quite remember where he was going, possibly he hit his head too hard when he attempted to run out of Iwatobi. His first mission was considered a success but yet it felt like a failure. Sousuke lost most of the others in his squad, the only reason Sousuke wasn’t shot dead was because he managed to stay out of Hazuki’s sights. Four out of ten people had survived. It didn't make much sense, every odd pointed to Sousuke dying, but he hadn’t. All of the people on that mission were senior officers, all except for Sousuke. Sure, Sousuke had graduated two years earlier than he was supposed to since he leapt ahead of everyone else, and he graduated at the top of his class at that.

But still, it didn't make sense. Why didn't he die? Why wasn’t he shot dead? He watched those with much more age and experience get taken down by bullets and guards, why wasn’t Sousuke killed?

He was shaken by the thought of death. A never ending blackness he would have succumbed too only after his first mission.

_Iwatobi was dangerous._

Sousuke gripped his arms, hugging himself as he walked down the hall. The halls of Samezuka were a deep black, looking like some sort of underground hideaway from a science movie. Well, technically, thats what Samezuka was. Being buried hundreds of feet below ground came with its perks, but the air constantly smelt stagnant. The dim lights that lit up the hallways that Sousuke’s room was on were golden, reflecting off the floor and cheaply flickering like an underground mine.

It made the figure at the end of the hall that appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, even eerier.

Sousuke gulped, pausing in his footsteps. Alright, ghosts? Ghosts didn't exist. That wasn’t a ghost. It was a person out after curfew. Well, so was Sousuke, but he was a officer now, so he had every right to be out here and the jacket proved that.

But, the person was staggering. Staggering back and forth like they had risen from the grave, not knowing quite how to work their dead legs yet. The panic of being confronted by what could possibly be a zombie in the middle of the night made Sousuke hesitate, wanting to return back to his room and grab a gun, but Sousuke reminded himself that the best guns he had were on his arms and he could totally handle this.

With a push, Sousuke urged himself forward, striding quickly across a barren hallway. His eyes narrowed, trying to focus in on the figure who was nearly tripping on their own feet at this point. Sousuke’s jacket fluttered around his waist as he picked up speed.

The hospital ward was back there, wasn’t it? Sousuke suddenly realized this was no ghost or zombie, and simply a sick person. Alright, that was easy enough, just direct the confused individual back to their room...

Sousuke froze up in terror again. His legs locking, nearly tripping over his own topheavy weight. He found his footing again, snapping his neck up to look at the figure in silhouette in shock. Though, they were no longer a silhouette. Or, _he_ was no longer a silhouette.

Sousuke hadn’t directly saved Matsuoka. Didn't come in contact with him until the helicopter found them and the remaining survivors jumped in, two men pushing a rabid teenager into the back of the helicopter to wrestle with him. Sousuke couldn't remember much of the helicopter ride home, and he certainly couldn't remember all that much about seeing Matsuoka. The kid broke his arm in the fight, so vicious that a tranq to the neck took a whole five minutes to set in. Sousuke had tried not to listen to his howls coming from the back as he sat up front, trying to focus on the Iwatobi base growing smaller as the helicopter rose into the sky.

Matsuoka had a very recognisable face. If you didn't recognize him by the billboards and news bragging about Iwatobi's favorite boys that they shoved down the public’s throat, you recognised him from the sharp teeth and the scarlet red hair. ‘Shark boy’ was his loving nickname back at Samezuka.

It had been a week. A week, and Sousuke would stop by every day because he felt like he had to. Everytime he came though, Mikoshiba was by his bed and Matsuoka was asleep with blood that combatted the color of red in his hair smeared the space under his nose. “He’s done it,” Mikoshiba said one day, smile sad and nearly hanging off his face, “He didn't wake up screaming for once. I think he broke past their programming.” Sousuke knew what Mikoshiba meant by that. Matsuoka had freed himself of the careful adjustments they had made in the Iwatobi boy’s minds to stop them from rebelling. Free thought was now achievable without punishment.

That was yesterday. Matsuoka still looked like a mess.

Sousuke was still, deep down, terrified of him. From what Iwatobi marketed him as, he was a angsty heartthrob with a intense bloodlust. He was ‘the crazy one,” the “cruelest one”, but right now, Matsuoka looked eerily human.

Sousuke gulped down his fear, reminding himself Matsuoka was still injured and couldn’t attack him if he tried. “Matsuoka,” Sousuke once again pushed himself forward, running towards Matsuoka's staggering frame. The redhead stumbled to a stop in front of Sousuke. Matsuoka was only as old as Sousuke, maybe a year younger, tops. His face was beginning the stages of sharp angles, though, that’s really all Sousuke could decipher because everything else about Matsuoka looked like the embodiment of exhaustion. Deep circles under his eyes, blood and knots tangled and matted in his long hair. His eyes were tight with confusion as he stared up at Sousuke, clearly in a sleepy daze.

“You have to go back to your room,” Sousuke instructed, easing his hands gently upon Matsuoka’s shoulders. Poor guy. Sousuke knew he’d be confused as all hell if this happened to him... But, Sousuke could do no explaining. Not right now, and not ever. “It’s very late, and-”

“You were there.” Though Matsuoka’s voice was exhausted, his tone still sliced through Sousuke’s sentence. His voice was but a mere, raspy whisper, but it was hard, the bold confidence in it making Sousuke pause.

“Uh, yeah,” Sousuke answered nervously. He was almost afraid. Every time those sharpened jaws peeked out behind his dried lips Sousuke felt unnerve creep his way.

Matsuoka stared at him, his eyes narrowing, before they suddenly rolled back into his sockets. His feet fumbled beneath him, stumbling forward into Sousuke’s chest. Sousuke’s instincts told him to leap back as Matsuoka hung in his arms, but that would most likely result in the poor boy tumbling to the floor, so Sousuke fought the urge to pull away from any sort of warm affection. Having someone lean on him, literally and emotionally, made Sousuke’s insides contort into a sense of unease.

“Thank you,” Matsuoka slurred, voice muffled by the siege of exhaustion, but brimming with heartfelt emotion. “-For saving me.”

Sousuke’s brain froze with the fear of being confronted by the most pure form of human gratefulness. Something wholehearted, something that Sousuke had blocked out ever since he was small with the strain of work, something that he could not feel due to the fear of weakness. “It’s-” Sousuke’s tongue halted on it’s words, unsure of how to respond to something so entirely human, “-It’s no problem.”

He lead Matsuoka back to his room. He half carried the boy down the hall, listening to Matsuoka let out tired curses and slurs, saying ‘I need to shower’, over and over again. Despite the amount of exhaustion pulling at his features, his eyes were incredibly focused. Sousuke couldn't bare to look at them for too long, afraid of what he would find.

Sousuke returned to his pacing about the hallway after he dropped Matsuoka back in his room. His head tampering with the idea of human emotion, red eyes and sharp teeth.

 

/ ** /

 

After he graduated, he normally ate lunch alone. Ai and Momo were left in the academy, and now that that the Mikoshiba father had passed, Sei had taken up the responsibility of taking Samezuka by the reins, so he was never around anymore either. The cafeteria, at this time of day, was full of other officers like Sousuke. Thing was, Sousuke was fifteen, while everyone else was in their twenties or older. Sousuke was considered the best of the best, the one with the most potential- but, his social skills were more than lacking.

Silence was... Nice, though. Sousuke enjoyed silence. That’s what he liked to tell himself at least. Nothing was wrong with silence, and nothing was wrong with eating alone.

Sousuke was halfway through his lunch when suddenly his entire table rocked with a powerful slam, and Sousuke leaped out of his seat. Confused, Sousuke shot a quick glare up at the figure who thought it’d be funny to slam their hands on the table.

It was Matsuoka.

Sousuke’s heart clenched.

He was clean now. Tiredness wiped off his expression and smile bright, his eyebrows furrowed playfully while his eyes glittered with intensity. His long, red hair was pulled back into a tight pony tail. Some deep, deep fear lit up in Sousuke, something programmed inside him to beware the Iwatobi boys. The Iwatobi boys were robots, filled with violence and wires. Perfect pawns for Iwatobi to market off.

Sousuke knew they weren't that. They were kids. Mrs Tachibana had explained everything. But, really, just because they didn't know what they were doing didn't make a difference. They were still killing machines.

But yet, one of those killing machines was staring at him with the biggest, most childish grin Sousuke had seen.

“Hey,” Matsuoka said expectantly, “Yamazaki Sousuke, right?”

Sousuke blinked.

“Yeah,” He nodded, “How did you know?”

“Orange-hair guy told me,” Matsuoka replied, pulling out the chair next to Sousuke. It didn't seem real. Matsuoka Rin was pulling out a chair to sit next to him. It was a surprise to have anyone sit next to him, but , Matsuoka? Even having him around on its own was shocking.

Obtaining one of the Iwatobi boys was the plan, but it was supposed to be Tachibana who they grabbed. Tachibana never showed his face, and Matsuoka seemed to be the only one who worked out. They couldn’t even dream of getting close to Hazuki, and though Sousuke saw Ryugazaki, the panic had set in by that point. The look in Ryugazaki eyes still haunted him... Despite Tachibana clearly being shaped into the captain, Matsuoka was probably the second most important of the team, even challenging the captain title that Tachibana had. But, even the thought of having just one of the boys was insane.

“I can sit with you, right?” Matsuoka asked, though, he was already sitting, not caring how the answer swayed or not. He had a tray of food, a very small portion- about the same portion that Sousuke had even though Sousuke was almost done eating- and he went about carefully eating it despite Sousuke not even giving him a answer. Sousuke should’ve said _‘no, you make me super uncomfortable’,_ but Sousuke really didn't have the heart to be that terribly rude.

Silence had made its way from being peaceful to extremely uncomfortable, a thousand words resting on Sousuke’s tongue as Matsuoka started to eat as if nothing was wrong. As if they hadn’t been mortal enemies since birth.

“You know who I am, right?” Matsuoka asked, biting into a loaf of bread. Sousuke noticed that all of his food was painfully plain.

“Of course,” Sousuke’s chuckle was cold but honest. Matsuoka pursed his lips, eyebrows ticking on annoyance. “Matsuoka Rin. I was one of the people on the mission to get you, of course I know who you are.”

Matsuoka shrugged, turning his attention back towards eating. Sousuke would watch the red head’s eyes drifting over to his plate, eying his food as if it was some god he wasn’t supposed to look at. Matsuoka’s eyes ticked, gears turning behind his eyes and lighting sparks in them as they worked.

“Why are you sitting with me?” Sousuke finally found a question that he deemed okay to ask.

“Because,” Matsuoka answered simply, “I know who you are and you’re my age. Everyone else was really old.” The grin on Matsuoka's face came right after- “Are you like a child prodigy or something?”

Sousuke huffed. _You could say that._

“That's being said by the posterchild of a child prodigy,” Sousuke mumbled back, earning a playful grunt from Matsuoka. Matsuoka’s grin was full of crowded, pointed teeth, his canines clacking together in earnest.

“What-” Matsuoka chimed- “Would you say I’m the most, child-prodigy-esque out of the others?” Sousuke dared to glance fully at Matsuoka only to see the urging slyness mounted on his smile and dragging his eyebrows to suave curves, “Even better than Haru?” Matsuoka spoke the other’s name like it was some hysterical inside joke. Sousuke didn't get it.

“Who, Nanase?” Sousuke asked, crushing his long-empty juice box with his hand, “Yeah, sure.”

Despite Sousuke’s words being so casual and throw-away, Matsuoka took them to heart, his eyelashes fluttering and shock forming around his mouth. Triumph filled his expression and curled his fingers so he could press a punch into the air- letting out a small hiss of ‘yes!’.

Though, the next words Sousuke heard from Matsuoka came slow. They dragged with the weight of the situation Matsuoka found himself in- and Sousuke was lucky enough not to catch his expression as he spoke them. “-But I guess that doesn't really matter anymore, right?”

Sousuke felt his heart jump, making Sousuke’s body jump with it, “I’m going to get seconds!” He gasped out, his body squeezing the sympathy out of his voice so he didn't have to crack under the pressure of the human need of emotions. Matsuoka blinked up at him, eyes wide with the sudden movement.

“You can get seconds here?” Matsuoka’s voice was small.

Sousuke gulped, nodding. He tried to move away from the table but his heart willed him to stay, just for a moment.

Matsuoka looked around cautiously, as if he expected someone to jump him, “Can _I_ get seconds?”

Sousuke didn't hesitate. “Of course,” He breathed, watching Matsuoka’s long eyelashes flutter as if he were in a dream and he was trying to wake himself up.

Sousuke’s heart throbbed in turn for the knowledge that Matsuoka probably didn't eat his fill. And again as he realized why Matsuoka’s plate was so plain. He probably thought he wasn’t allowed to take anything good. It was like the flame behind Rin eyes flickered and dance along Sousuke’s very body, easing his brain to warmth and burning his limbs into action.

“Let’s get you some real food,” Sousuke said, tightening around his words as a last stitch effort to keep them in, “We have a really good chocolate chip pancakes here.”

Matsuoka’s confusion turned into glee. He did not hesitate to leap up, plate in hand. “I can have whatever I want?” He urged, leaning into Sousuke. Sousuke leaned away, taking a cautious step back, but Matsuoka’s toothy grin was infectious.

“Of course,” Sousuke’s laugh was breathless. Matsuoka’s wasn’t. It was filled with emotion, filled to the brim with leaking happiness as it left him in one, small giggle. “I’ll show you,” Sousuke said, taking his few steps back to not only find his personal space again, but to lead Matsuoka in the direction.

Matsuoka was quick to follow.

“Mikoshiba told me I should stick with you,” Matsuoka said suddenly as they walked around the circle that was the cafeteria, Sousuke glancing back at him to see his red eyes focused on everything but Sousuke, “He told me you’re not too busy and you know everything about this place. Is that true?”

“Kinda,” Sousuke answered, “I know a lot, I guess.” He pulled Matsuoka through a small crowd of people who had their mouths gawked at the redhead.

“Alright, I have a question,” Matsuoka replied with, making Sousuke feel uneasy for some reason, “How do I get one of those jackets?”

Sousuke paused. Apparently Matsuoka wasn’t watching out because he bumped right into Sousuke’s back, making both of them jump in surprise. “I got mine when I was little since my dad was a commander here,” Sousuke answered, pulling proudly at the collar of his jacket, fixing it straight as if Matsuoka had tainted it when he bumped into him, “But for you to get it, you’d need to graduate the training schools here. You have to be a officer to get one.”

Matsuoka snorted as they began to walk some more, “No way I’m going through some training for a jacket, I’ve got way more training than you do, combined with like, everyone else here.” Sousuke huffed, he felt although he were talking to a child. He reminded himself of what Matsuoka was capable of and kept walking.

“I don’t doubt it, Matsuoka,” Sousuke grunted back.

“Just Rin is fine.”

Sousuke slept peacefully for the first time in awhile that night, wrapped up tightly in his jacket. The sound of sirens and echoing gunshots were replaced by the sight of Rin’s proud smile as he poured the entire bottle of self-serve maple syrup onto his pancakes. He did it just because he could, and he ate it just because he could.

For some reason, Sousuke’s belly lit with fire every time he saw Rin.

 

/**/

“So, who else lives here besides for the fighters?”

“People who are taking refuge.”

“Why would they do that?”

“Because Iwatobi has taken away their homes, or something like that.”

“Are you free to go where ever you want?”

“Yes.”

“Is everyone?”

“Yes.”

“What part do I play in all of this?”

Rin asked a lot of questions but that was the first one Sousuke had heard regarding himself. Sousuke opened his mouth, before closing it, thinking of a answer. Normally he didn't have to think of an answer to anything, so Rin’s brows knitted in worry.

“I don’t really have the authority to say that,” Sousuke said, shrugging his shoulders. Matsuoka took an obnoxiously loud sip from a juicebox. “Though, Sei seems content as keeping you as a regular resident. You’ve got all the rights of anyone else here. We just.. Have to keep a better eye on you. We don’t want Iwatobi taking you back.”

Rin didn't seem okay with that answer, not yet anyways, “I wanna be an officer like you, Sousuke. I’m not someone who likes to sit on the sidelines.” Rin said, looking quickly at the jacket Sousuke wore. He tugged at the collar, making Sousuke leap. “I want to wear one of these so Iwatobi knows exactly who they’re dealing with.” It didn't take Rin very long to fall into his radical standpoint of Samezuka. Sousuke had seen Rin hanging over Sei’s shoulder even while Sei was busy, plotting and scheming and telling Sei everything he knew about Iwatobi. Sei had been painfully interested ever since Rin’s capture and the deaths of many senior officers. Rin was very clearly emotionally persuaded by things as seen by easily being brought to tears by his own anger... So, it didn't seem to occur to him how bored Sei was with the topic. “Sei says I should hide,” Rin muttered, “I don’t want to hide.”

Sousuke looked over at him, Rin glaring at open air like he was looking deeply into someone's eyes. “I wanna kick Haru’s ass.”

Sousuke snickered out a laugh. “And after I kick his ass, I’m going to bring him here.”

“What about the others?” Sousuke offered. Rin spoke of Nanase as if he was a old schoolyard jock that Rin had a secret crush on.

“You’d be insane to challenge Makoto to a fight,” Rin crossed his arms, laughing cruelly. It was true- from Tachibana’s work alone, he brought cold fear into the hearts of anyone at Samezuka. Sousuke dreamed of fighting him some day. But, not today, or any time soon. It would be a great duel- or that's how it went in Sousuke’s mind- flames licking the dirt as they clashed. The true battle of Iwatobi and Samezuka. “I love Rei and Nagisa, they’re like my kids, I couldn’t lay a finger on them. I’d bribe them. Same with Makoto.”

Sousuke sighed, sinking down in his chair to the point where he was shorter than Rin. “Do I annoy you?” Rin asked. He sounded genuine, and Sousuke didn't hesitate to answer.

“Yes.”

“Good,” Rin had never sounded more serious in his life, “Because you annoy the hell out of me too.” Rin’s grin was unmistakable mischievousness, as if nothing he had gone through back at Iwatobi had a chance to take it from him. Before Sousuke could really ask him what he meant, because Rin was the one following him around, Rin was shoving cheap icecream down his throat.

/**/

 

Sousuke hated Rin. But only because Sousuke started to feel something whenever Rin was around. That wasn’t even the worse part, Rin refused to leave him alone, Rin would follow him everywhere, Rin would ask and berate him with questions that Sousuke knew were only being asked just so that they could talk. Feeling so warm was dangerous, letting his guard down was dangerous.

But yet, Rin held Sousuke’s heart in his hands. Sousuke felt his heart swell with pride whenever Rin would wear his jacket, his heart race whenever Rin got close, and his heart clench whenever he was worried for him.

Rin hadn’t even needed to go through training to get up to Sousuke’s level. He was in Sousuke’s class within two days, eating lunch with him again and wearing the matching jacket. Sousuke wasn’t exactly sure how he did it, though he was pretty sure it had to do something with the fact that Rin had been modelled since he was in the womb to be the perfect soldier. After everything was done, Sousuke decided letting Rin out into the open world with such a force would be dangerous, and assigned himself as Rin’s guard. If Iwatobi got their hands on Rin again, it would mean the end of Samezuka and the end of Rin.

Sousuke tried not to focus on the fear of losing Rin. Warmth was dangerous. Having Rin around was dangerous.But losing him was far worse. Sousuke felt like he was taking drugs, addicted to the incredibly dangerous substance that would one day probably bite him in the ass.

Rin’s graduation ceremony was grand. If getting Rin wasn’t a victory enough, this surely was. Samezuka was overjoyed, Sousuke didn't see one person without a smile on their face that day. Though, no smile compared to Rin’s, his chest puffed out and proud with the freedom he found by himself after escaping Iwatobi. He had made this choice for himself and he was damn proud of himself and had every reason to be.

Ai and Momo followed suit, graduating and quickly befriending Rin, just as Sousuke had. It was hot jealousy that found Sousuke when he realized Rin wasn’t his friend anymore, but once he realized how much of a family they were, Sousuke didn't mind as much.

Sousuke was a day over eighteen when he forgot to wear his jacket.

Sousuke suddenly felt naked when Momo whistled at him approvingly at lunch, tapping his hands on the table. Sousuke’s arms slapped protectively at his arms while Ai did the same ,but instead it was over Momo’s shoulder to shut him up.  Rin’s eyes wandered to Sousuke’s chest and Sousuke wondered if Rin was checking him out or if he was simply marveling over how different Sousuke looked without it. Rin had never seen him without the jacket, no one had seen him without the jacket besides himself when he slept or washed it, and fear froze his body up until he couldn't move. Vulnerability. Rin could see all of him. They could see all of him.

Before Sousuke could make a dash for his room to slip it on, Rin grabbed him by the arm, dragging him over to their table. Sousuke tried to protest but his words were caught in his mouth.

“Look at your arms!” Rin yelled, his voice comedically deep as he gripped at Sousuke’s mostly naked arms, only the shoulders protected by the thin material of his t-shirt, “Jeez man, you’re really buff.”

Sousuke felt himself blush. Heat evolved his body, replacing the cold stasis he was starting to get less and less used to. Rin smiled. Smirked. He was amused.

_Shit._

 

/ ** /

 

The jacket was left hanging on the door more often than not.

Rin’s hands would find his shoulders and their arms would interlock, and it felt so much better without the fabric of the old jacket standing between them. Instead of pacing down the halls at night, Rin would race him down them, filling them with laughter until one of them crashed into a wall or they got scolded for running so fast. Rin would sneak into Sousuke’s room at night and Sousuke would do the same to Rin, staying up all night and telling each other stories so that they could imagine the stars together. Every morning Sousuke knew a little more about Rin and Rin knew a little more about him. It was strange having a friend, a real, true friend. Rin lit a fire inside him, and Sousuke couldn’t imagine anyone more human and warm than him. Rin made his heart race and his stomach flip whenever he saw him. Comfort was only attainable now when Rin’s skin was on Sousuke’s.

When they turned twenty, Rin went outside freely for the first time.

Sousuke accompanied him, of course, but only by Rin’s choice. The jackets were left home, and the two went out wearing sunglasses and heavy sweaters. They were wanted criminals after all, but, that didn't stop them from going to every single restaurant in town.

Sousuke found Rin in his bed the next morning, curled against him. Sousuke didn't bother to wake him up.

/ ** /

 

The big TV in the mess hall was always on the news. It would be inappropriate to change it to anything else, especially considering the situation at hand.

They had been bombed the night before. Iwatobi was growing suspicious, hungry, angry. Thankfully nothing of Samezuka was unearthed by the bombs that they rained over the ground Samezuka was covered by relentlessly four six hours. They had given up, moved on to another location to bomb uselessly.

Everyone was on edge. Sousuke never got a wink of sleep, no one did. Ai was currently passed out on the table and Momo was suspiciously silent, eating slow. Sousuke ran through last night's crowd control, getting everyone to the lowest part of Samezuka sounded easy but wrangling terrified people deeper underground was much harder than Sousuke thought it would be. Thankfully there was not a single casualty, simply the same crippling fear that everyone felt, spread with every rock and boom that came from above from last night.

Normally Rin would work alongside Sousuke on just about everything. He normally did everything he could to help, and, he’d always do it with Sousuke. They did everything together. But last night was different. Rin feared for his safety last night. It was the first time Sousuke had ever seen true terror on his face, and Sousuke couldn't put it out of his head. Rin always was content and calm, and absolutely sure of himself. Last night, Sousuke saw the fear seize up his eyes.

Sousuke found the courage to speak. “I’m sorry I didn't comfort you last night,” Sousuke nudged Rin’s side. Rin’s body was heavy and limp, his head down. Sousuke thought he was sleeping, but when Rin looked up Sousuke knew he was simply resting his eyes.

“It’s fine,” Rin scoffed, exhaustion curling his voice and agitation pulling it to a point, “You were doing your job. If you didn't go back for that kid who got separated from his mom he probably would’a been crushed.” Sousuke gulped. Though Samezuka didn't have any outside damage, the rocking and pressure from the bombs damaged some inside exteriors pretty bad, especially on the top floor. Sousuke would have to go to work on helping with that, retrieving the people who lived up there’s stuff, making double sure there was no casualties. He really, really didn't want to do that. He just wanted to curl up with Rin tonight and tell stories about the stars and Iwatobi and Sousuke’s dad. “You’re a hero, Sousuke, I was just a little scared.”

Sousuke hid his head in his hands, taking a deep breath, expelling the stress from his body. Or at least he tried to, because the stress was pretty determined on staying in there. The kid Sousuke had ‘saved’ had grown scared and went back up to his room on the top floor, and when Sousuke was confronted with his crying mother, he didn't think twice in sprinting up and grabbing the lost child. The room the child had been hiding in was crushed at some point during the night. He didn't feel like a hero, despite the fact that Rin was almost always honest with him, he was just doing his job. He was always just doing his job.

Suddenly, Rin’s hands were on him, gripping him like a vice. As soon as Sousuke heard the volume on the TV go up, it was evident whatever was on was incredibly important.

The large screen was broadcasting news right from Iwatobi. It happened often, but the text at the bottom of the screen read; THE SEARCH FOR _SAMEZUKA IS ON._

The man speaking at the moment was one of the higher ups from Iwatobi, Sousuke could faintly recognize him, and he could also recognize the expression on Rin’s face to be that of; _I gotta punch something really, really hard right now._

Sasabe Goro, the man in charge specifically of the Iwatobi soldiers project. Rin stared deep into his simulated eyes as if he were actually real and actually standing there, growling under his breath.

“We’re going to bomb them out,” Sasabe said, his golden eyes flickering with unprofessional glee as he spoke, “We’ve got the perfect plan, me and my boys will be ready for whatever's to come!”

It was clear everyone tuned in too late, the news segment was clearly in the middle of speaking about the bombing of Samezuka.

“We’ll bomb every inch of that forest until we dig them out.” Sasabe said with a smile, and then the news cut, showing back to the normal news narrator, who happened to be a small, blonde girl. The screen behind her showed a small collage of pictures fading in and out, and Rin swallowed up the sight of every single one.

“It’s also been updated that Matsuoka Gou has dropped out of the soldier program, but intends on staying in Iwatobi as one of many managers,” The lady was clearly listing things off of a script, her voice devoid of any opinion. Sousuke could feel Rin tense at the mention of his sister, his sharpened teeth gritted so hard Sousuke was surprised he didn't shatter them.

Then there was a picture of the Iwatobi boys playing behind the speaker, and she rambled some monotone garbage, and all Sousuke could focus on was the heat coming off of Rin. Flames lapped at Sousuke’s skin and Rin was the inferno.

“Look,” Rin growled, “Look what they’re doing to them.”

Iwatobi always posed their boys like machines. Saluting some flag off in the distance.

“Do you remember how their pictures used to be? When they were small?” Rin asked, and before Sousuke could even shake his head, Rin answered hotly, “Yeah, exactly. You don’t. They erased every picture because it has me in them, and let me tell you, we all were happy before they started doing that to us. But no one remembers, because they refuse to admit their failure,” Rin’s fists clenched around nothing, but he squeezed so hard Sousuke was sure he could hear the cracking of his own bones, “I’m going to make them admit it. I’m going to drag my friends out of there and make sure Iwatobi never forgets the pain when we take them down.”

/**/

Sousuke made Rin a promise that he would help him get his friends out. If they meant that much to Rin, Sousuke figured they must be good people, despite the heavy hatred Sousuke carried with him for the four males.

Being close friends with Sei had its perks. One of those perks was introducing the Freebird in the first place.

Sousuke and Rin worked relentlessly, Sousuke taking the helm while Rin told him everything he knew about how Iwatobi worked. That taking Makoto from the picture would make the team collapse. How leaving one of the boys behind would be dangerous to their own survival. Paper after paper, nights of not sleeping, Sousuke finally presented the finished document to Samezuka’s higher ups.

Sousuke came back from the meeting tired, dragging his body along. But when he opened the room to his dorm, seeing Rin waiting for him in his bed made his heart light up.

“What happened?” Rin asked, his voice squeaked in excitement. Sousuke had to hold back his smile.

“It passed,” Sousuke said, emotion running on his voice as the smile fought its way through, “We’re putting freebird into action.”

When Rin leaped to his feet, Sousuke swept him up in a hug. They stood there for a great while, Rin’s laughter filling Sousuke’s ears with joy. “I’m gonna see my friends again,” Rin whispered, Sousuke could feel Rin’s hot tears scar his shirt with dark marks, the heat coming off of them burning Sousuke’s skin.

Rin’s lips were even hotter as they kissed. Sousuke’s tired body slumped against Rin’s, somehow Rin had the strength to hold them both up, and the whole world was dizzy with hot emotion. The water Sousuke had been trapped in had made his body so numb, that even though Rin had been slowly dragging him out of it, now that Rin had finally plopped him on shore he realized how much he had been missing. Rin’s lips were soft against his, innocence curling in him as his hands went up to cup Sousuke’s heavy jaw. The world danced, the birds sang, and the cold water behind Sousuke was far beyond him. The sand was hot beneath his feet but Rin was hotter, Rin’s fire warming his skin and healing his frostbite. Rin blew life into him, Sousuke swore he would never be able to breath again if Rin wasn’t pressed to him like this.

When they finally broke apart, Rin’s kiss leaving Sousuke gasping for air, Rin pressed his head to Sousuke’s shoulder. “I love you,” His whisper was small, but it held the world in it. The world that Sousuke now had the chance to explore with him now that he was out of the cold.

“I love you too,” Sousuke’s words were a breath and he pressed his head to Rin’s, holding him there for a great while, quite until he was about to pass out from his own exhaustion.

Rin kissed him to sleep that night. They laid, tangled in love.

/ ** /

 

The warmth of the imaginary bed was gone in seconds. Sousuke’s body jolted awake, his head weighted with the stiffness of his hanging neck. _Cold, cold, cold._ Iwatobi had taken him from Rin and was drowning him back in the same ocean Rin had lead him out of. He couldn't even remember what Rin felt like anymore, and he gasped for breath, his eyes fighting to stay rolled back in his head in an attempt to keep closer to death.

The slam of the door was what awakened Sousuke, his body hanging heavy over the restraints, his interest poking at his brain , wondering who had come in. Wasn’t Tachibana, Tachibana wouldn’t slam the door like that, and Tachibana was just here, like six hours ago. Maybe? Who knows, maybe it had been weeks. His time perception was as dried up as the tears on his face.

The ice in Nanase’s eyes was nothing like Sousuke had seen before. He felt like Nanase sliced him in half just on looks alone, and from the blade in his hand, Sousuke assumed that he was about to put that into action.

Nanase didn't give Sousuke time to wonder about why he was here. The blade of the knife caught the light and in one forceful push, it bore into Sousuke’s shoulder. The slice of flesh sprayed blood in its wake, and Nanase twisted it in wait.

Pain unlike any other was forced into Sousuke’s shoulder, twisting the muscle inside and blossoming with sharp pain. Sousuke had regretted ever needing pain to feel, _This was too much._ The world spun as the stench of blood leaked out through the stab, Sousuke’s gut clenching on the need to vomit.

“Where are you taking him?” Nanase’s voice wavered on a scream. Sousuke on the other hand did not hold back, his scream ripping through the silence. It split his throat and left him raw, but he knew Nanase would get more out of him if he had to. “Where? Answer me!” Nanase slid out the knife, the glimmer of the clean metal was now tarnished by crimson, decorating it in gore.

Sousuke choked out a broken- “Wh-what?” Tears already streaking his cheeks as he reveled in pain.

Nanase didn't like his answer. Nanase tensed in a build of energy, forcing the blunt curve of his boot up into Sousuke’s ribcage, the sharp heel digging into his stomach. Sousuke gagged on his own blood, coughing it out of his throat. It clung to his lip, dripping onto his chin. Nanase didn't give him time to recover, again, with the knife, tearing it through the wide part of his shoulder this time. The tender flesh did not stand a chance against the blade, splitting apart easily to submit to it’s sharp edge.

“Where is he? Where is Makoto?” Nanase’s voice had heightened itself to a yell, wavering now with tears as he cracked each rib one by one. Sousuke saw sadness twisting into cold rage, his kicks being proof of how angry he really was. Sousuke couldn't help but think about how strong Nanase was. The knife decorated slashes into his shoulder and collarbone, the worst of which the first, the loss of blood making Sousuke’s world spin in metallic smell, “Samezuka, where is it? Tell me!” The need to fight or flight screamed at Sousuke through basic human instincts, but Iwatobi held him back with chains and ropes, and his body lurched and jolted in instinctual fight.

Sousuke hung his head, twitching and drooling. Maybe he could die, maybe Nanase could kill him. Maybe this was it.

Nanase parted, his chest heaving and panting as he stumbled back. The amount of blood on the knife had stained his hand, dripping and covering his bruised knuckles with red, his pale skin flush with the scarlet. His breath was laced with the same pain Sousuke felt.

“You’re going to die, Yamazaki,” Nanase tried to calm his voice, but every single emotion leaked through, providing Sousuke’s dying brain with jolts of sickening fear. Hatred, fear, hopelessness, happiness, it all twisted into a spitting tone of disgust. “Not now. I bet you wish we’d kill you now. I wish I could kill you right now.”

Sousuke coughed up and spat the blood from his mouth, daring to look up at Nanase.

Nanase held a world of regret in his eyes. Everything about him looked wrong. Lost. Hopeless.

“Your execution is next week. It’ll be broadcasted live. I have the honors,” Nanase tucked his knife back into his belt, staining it red, “Rin will see it, I’m sure. No one will miss this.”

Sousuke felt his gut seize in fear. _Rin can’t see this._ Before Sousuke could even try to protest, Nanase’s boot slammed against his face again, and Sousuke didn't even have the luxury of seeing stars. Sousuke was pretty sure he felt another tooth leave his mouth but he didn't want to make sure.

Lost in pain, Sousuke’s sobs broke the surface. His throat raw, his body shaking with seizing fear.

“Don’t think I’m done with you,” Nanase growled. He sounded broken.

/** /

 

The cry of the helicopter bruised his neck with the force of the air it expelled as it hovered lowly above a building. The leap from the helicopter wasn’t a far one but Haru’s feet still stung from the hard drop. Haru shook off the deep pain as he moved forward, ignoring as Makoto helped Nagisa and Rei down from the hunk of metal that hung heavy in the sky. Over the sound of the helicopter chopping the air, the dull wave of angered voices poured out over the city like a song.

Standing on the edge of the tall building, Haru watched as the ocean of protestors screamed. Holding up signs, their chanting angry and thick. They covered the city, people pressed up against the buildings that kept them pinned in like animals in a cage. The mob was huge, and now Haru understood the urgency of why he was rushed down here.

How the hell was he supposed to get down there? Haru bit his lips in thought, chewing thoughtfully on them as the helicopter screamed, taking off to land a safer distance away. The helicopter was full of backup soldiers, just incase one of the Iwatobi boys were threatened with death, or Samezuka pushed their ugly face into the picture. The Iwatobi boys’ purpose was to give Iwatobi a peaceful image and they had to stick to that.

Makoto strolled up to the edge of the building, surveying the damage. He clicked his tongue in annoyance. Haru could see the focus in his eyes.

Makoto paced to the middle of the building, Nagisa and Rei following like obedient dogs. Haru assumed to do the same.

“Rei! I need something to write on,” Was Makoto’s first demand of the day. It was graciously answered, Rei handing him a rather large sheet of paper from his backpack (Rei normally carried all the extra supplies) and a pen. Makoto immediately started to scribble, nothing fancy but it was easy enough to understand. He drew a square, representing the huge mob that had formed.

“Haru, you’re going to need to get into the center,” Makoto draw a fat ‘X’ into the center of the square, “Smoke bombs directly in the center, it’ll break up the crowd decently. You can get down there, right?”

Haru scoffed, “Of course I can.”

“Good,” No trace of a smile was on Makoto’s face as he spoke. This was his leader mode, the thing he had been programmed to be good at, and damn did it show. Haru would never doubt Makoto’s direction, it was solid and he always seemed to pull through. “Rei, we’re going to need some extra support down there. More smoke bombs, along here,” Makoto explained, scribbling a few ‘X’s along the front of the mob, “It’ll be rather easy to break into.”

Rei nodded, gulping hard like he was gasping for air, “Yes captain,” He said, clearly shocked he was actually involved in a mission, “But, I need a disguise. I’m not as good at blending in as Haruka.”

Makoto bit his lip in thought. Haru gave him a moment- knowing an answer but not wanting to derail Makoto’s thinking. Makoto lit up, making a gesture for Rei’s backpack.

After shifting through the rather large bag he grabbed a can of motor oil, lining his hands with it before taking them through Rei’s hair. Rei visibly cringed as the blue glint of his hair was erased by black oil, his hair becoming dirty and matted but it certainly got rid of Rei’s odd hair color. “There's that,” Makoto whispered to himself, wiping his hands off onto his pants and smearing them black, “Haru! Can you do make up? Just a little bit.” Haru nodded- finding his tiny makeup kit to get to work on contouring Rei’s face. Rei pouted like a child, but accepted it as he fiddled with his dirtied hair.

“After the crowd separates I’ll work on splitting it up, and draining it out through the alleyways,” Makoto explained, drawing more X’s and more lines, his eyes squinting in focus, “Nagisa, you’ll help with some explosives. Shoot some cleared areas to make more distress, just don’t kill anyone.” Nagisa’s smile cracked through his scowl, desperately trying to prim up his lips so his excitement over using explosives didn't shine through.

They hadn’t broken up a mob this bad in a while. This mob was the result of the combined shooting Nagisa had done, and the capture of Yamazaki had spread into them media. Or, that was what Haruka had been told. The crowd gathered in front of the hall in which Rin’s birthday had been held at- where Yamazaki had been taken- and the open part of the street was flooded completely. Haru knew Makoto wouldn't remember a damn thing about this place or that night so he didn't ask him despite wanting to.

The public was decently split down the middle over Iwaotobi’s situation. Haru’s squad had grabbed the reins of the public and herded them mostly back into their corall with handsome looks and keeping the rather hurtful missions in secret. But, there was still enough doubt to threaten Iwatobi’s situation. Mobs had to be controlled, brought down and split up before any real harm could come. The mob was mostly teens from the looks of it, peaceful rallies. Haru could not spot any colored bandanas or flags to say there were any gangs down there, and Samezuka was much smarter than to show up at a simple mob.

“Rei, set off your bombs right after Haru does to keep the crowd from fleeing to the front. We need them to filter out through the back alleys,” Makoto explained. The space around the hall was more open road. To get the crowd through multiple smaller alleys would break them up.

“What if people get trampled?” Rei asked, Haru shooting him a look. Rei hadn’t been on the ground of a mob this size, ever.

“That’s not our problem,” Haru answered roughly, Rei’s swallow forcing his adam's apple to bob nervously in his throat.  Haru finished up with the contour on Rei’s already thin face-Honesty Haru had made him look so thin he looked like some sort of starved druggie- and set his makeup bag to the side.

“If any suspects of interest show up, find a meetup place. We’ll need two to pursue safely, everyone seems to have tranqs these days,” Makoto grinned nervously, everyone nodding in return. “After everything's done, meetup here. Try not to get trampled.” Makoto’s grin grew deeper with slight fear. It had been a while since they tackled a mob this size- Rei hadn’t even been down inside one this big. Granted, Makoto only expected him to stay to the front, and afterwards Rei would climb to safety. Still, it worried Haru. Rei was fast but he certainly wasn’t sneaky, Rei was lanky and long and could easily get tangled up in his own limbs if he panicked before moving.

Haru started the descent down the buildings stairs, Makoto and Rei closely following him while Nagisa set up his shooting space, left on the building. This building was muggy and quiet, and anyone inside either seemed pleased that they were here to stop the riot, or deeply upset.

Makoto stayed inside, pulling out his revolver and stroking it like a cat. He looked like a cartoon villain Haru saw on a show ages ago, when they were still allowed simple television shows. Rei gripped his bombs for dear life. They were only smoke, meant to startle people with loud noise and make them scatter, so Rei clutching the most non-lethal weapons they owned was useless. Haru sighed, patting the skinnier boy on the shoulder.

“You’ve got this. Just dip into the building behind you after you’re done,” Haru tried to calm Rei, which was a futile attempt, “Anyways, the crowd will be driven away from you by the smoke. If worse comes to worse Nagisa can divert them.” The fear was so deep Rei’s pupils twitched and paced in their whites. He shakily fixed his glasses, licking his lips. Rei was not meant for this sort of thing, he was programmed for hacking and behind the scenes work. It really became prevalent how much of a toll Rin’s absence took on the program, Rei often filling in for what he should've been doing. “You better get going,” Haru whispered, his voice weak as he gave up on comfort. In one movement Rei dipped out of the door and nodded, looking at Haru once more as if begging for help.

“I feel bad,”Was the first thing out of Makoto’s mouth, he was hunched over his gun as he sat on a waiting room chair. It was clear they were in some kind of office building. Everyone from this area of the building was long gone- probably retreating to upstairs. If it wasn’t the mob that scared them, it was Makoto. “He’ll be fine though. Rei underestimates himself.”

“Yeah,” Haru agreed, “I’ll meet up with you soon,” Haru took a step to push through the door, but Makoto caught Haru by his arm, dragging him down for a soft kiss. Makoto’s lips were that of home, far better of a home than Iwatobi had provided him with cold halls and bright lights. Makoto’s lips were the only warmth Haru had ever known. Comfort fluttered through him, Makoto pulling back slowly. Haru wished they could kiss forever.

“Stay safe,” Makoto whispered.

“You too.” Haru replied. It was their version of ‘I love you’, and the set of words meant more to Haru than they should’ve. The genuine crease in Makoto’s lips, the squint of his eyes as he looked over Haru as if he was never going to see him again. The words meant so much because Makoto was sincere, his voice wavering with the force of emotion gripping it.

The crowd was harsh and unforgiving, but thankfully, so was Haru. Every burst of word yelled in Haru’s ear as he wiggled through the crowd did not cause even so much as a flinch. His jacket was tucked away, successfully hiding his guns as it was tucked around his waist. The communal howls and screams for justice were like background noise to Haru, his body stern and unaffected with the threat of reset waiting for him at home if he didn't follow orders. Savage pushing and clawing hands- reaching for something that was like freedom- only urged Haru further and further into the center. His arms were raked with red blossoms of rough hands by the time he made it to the center- or at least- what he presumed to be the center. He couldn’t tell over the smell of heated blood and angry teens.

Haru rocked back onto his toes, raising his body to peak above a sea of violent, bobbing heads, searching for a building that was topped with blonde hair.

He saw the familiar figure perched on the roof- his blonde hair glinting in the scorching sun. He raised his hand up, giving Haru the thumbs up.

All Haru heard was a few shrieks of terror of the rioters who had also caught Nagisa in their sites before the deafening blow of the smoke bomb echoed through the air. The blow of force was one Haru was used to, thick smoke coating his lungs and his ears ringing with anguish. The sound of panicked yells and rushing feet throbbed in Haru’s head, his body curled inwards on itself as his ears came back to life through anguishing pain. His body was defended by the crowd of people rushing to get out by the smoke, which was also choking him at the same time. Haru waited for a few moments, knowing the smoke would protect him from tromping feet which would crush him under sheer panic if they had the chance. Haru waited until he heard a series of booms in the distance, than he stumbled out of the smoke. Gasping for clean air, Haru held his throat tight in his hands, the brisk air almost burning him more than the blackened ball of smoke behind him.

Haru’s next line of defense was his jacket. But, his hands found his gun instead, shooting a show of bullets infront of him to keep a huge man from trampling him to the hard ground. The entire line of people behind the man scattered, giving Haru time to wrestle on his signature jacket, it’s effect immediate as screams lit up in the now scattering crowd. A circle of rushing people formed around him, sprinting by him and leaving only dust and the echos of fear. They avoided him like the plague now that he sported the jacket, the swarm of people diverting around him looked as if he had made a forcefield.  Haru froze as he attempted to contact Rei through the frenzy.

“Rei!” Haru yelled into his earpiece, pressing it down so hard it stung his already screaming ears.

“I’m fine!” Rei barked back- flooding Haru’s body with relief- “Nagisa, visual on Makoto!”

Normally when Makoto got into mobs like this, he was gone. Not even the call of an earpiece could snap him out of it. The only peace he could feel was when he streets were clear.

Nagisa’s voice was hardly audible amongst the rushing feet. “He’s heading south west, starting from the center. Working on splitting the crowd in two.”

“I’ll grab the other half,” Haru barked back, finally cutting into the mob. He brandished one of his guns, rolling a pair of smoke bombs somewhere off in the crowd to make way. The hysteria swelled as the bombs blossomed smoke, Haru following the trail of billowing blackness to make his own cut in the crowd. “Rei, find somewhere safe and don’t move until we give you a signal.”

“Got it,” The sound of static cut through the earpiece, Haru releasing it so he could grip the fat base of his revolver with two hands, his knuckles turning white with strain.

Cutting the crowd, he could almost feel it start to drain out into the alleyways that lead to different streets.  Heading down the slight slant of one side of the street, Haru veered left and lined the ground with bullets, exploding pavement and causing feet to stumble and swerve left and right like frantic animals. Adrenaline filled Haru’s head and caught his muscles on fire as a empty line of pavement was sliced by his presence. Haru picked up speed as the guarantee for a safe place to go proved itself, battering the pavement with bullets and turning faces of anger and disgust into sheer chaos and panic. Haru had no doubt Makoto was close by, a wave of panicked shouts were swelling to Haru’s right- no doubt a result of Makoto’s brute force as he scattered crowds. This, if not Makoto’s leadership skills, was what Makoto was made for. As gentle as Makoto was to Haru, Haru knew he had the capability to be horrifying.

The first real explosion rocked the streets. The flame that lit up on empty pavement challenged the sun, burning Haru’s skin with only its sheer reflection coating his flesh. It was huge, a wave of flame reaching towards the sky in a display of spinning panic, urgent yellows, reds, and blossoming smoke taking towards the sky, hysteria spilling onto the streets. Haru kept his cool despite explosions threatening to melt it, charging forward and letting out a yell of pure repressed agitation, keeping his half of the crowd managed and under his cover.

Haru’s focus was lost however when he noticed Makoto.

Makoto had mounted a car that was left abandoned in the crowd, probably an unlucky citizen getting caught in something they didn't want to be in. Though, they were long gone, if not scared out by the crowd, Makoto had surely terrified them. He stood tall- shooting warning shots into the air. Haru rarely saw him like this as normally they were split up for missions like this. Makoto had a fire and intensity in his eyes that made Haru’s heart race, his lips back in a scowl as his teeth bared like a growling animal. His entire form was tense and he yelled, getting the crowd to move with just his overbearing presence over them. Haru doubted he even needed to shoot that gun. He enforced fear on the crowd so much that just looks in the crowds direction making people scatter like smoke bombs had been thrown their way.

Haru’s body froze as he heard the familiar sound of a shrill whistle, even over the chaos. It was a sound long ago engraved deeply in his head. He was screaming into his earpiece, and apparently his panicked gibberish was enough to startle Makoto as he moved backwards, leaping back onto the car's trunk.

The red, furry dart of a tranq flew through the crowd, missing Makoto by a long-shot though it was clearly aimed for him.

It was like the gates of hell had opened up. Hot winds whipped around as Makoto’s entire body stiffened. Makoto’s eyes were engulfed in rage as he slowly turned to face the direction that dart was shot from. His expression was blank, but Haru could easily recognize the hatred in his eyes, it even scared Haru to the point of chills even though he was not the one who had shot it. The look grew ice in Haru’s viens, Makoto not even looking at Haru as he spoke.

“Haru,” Haru could see Makoto’s lips moving as he pressed into his earpiece- his voice coming through the tech as clear as day- “Pursue.”

A simple command that Haru listened to like an obedient dog. Makoto and Nagisa could easily handle this crowd now, and Haru veered off towards the direction the dart had come from. The only groups that had tranqs in their possession was Iwatobi, Samezuka, and smaller rebel groups that had stolen them. But, no one in their right mind would shoot Makoto with one during the middle of a riot. Samezuka was too smart for that, but also rebel groups wouldn’t waste their precious stolen darts on a very risky operation. The answer became clear as Haru escaped the crowd, veering far to the end of the street.

In the end of the street, right behind a group of office buildings was a tall parking garage. Right on the second floor of the cement structure Haru could easily spot orange hair glinting in the sun, gleaming against the sunbleached grey of the parking garage.

“Mikoshiba,” Haruka screamed. The boy dropped the tranq he had poised over the edge of the building, his limbs scattering before he met Haru’s cold stare.

It was the younger one, and Haru couldn’t tell if that was a good thing or a bad thing. The bigger Mikoshiba was an important figure of Samezuka (What exactly he did was a mystery, so was exactly  how important he was to Samezuka.), his little brother also being a figure of interest, but.. Not as much. Though, the smaller Mikoshiba was shown to be not nearly as talented as his brother. _Easy catch._

Haru was quick to make the first move. He would have to get up there fast, Mikoshiba already had a head start, being on the second floor. If Haru cornered him at the top, he’d have nowhere to go. He’d be perfect ransom, him and Yamazaki combined could easily bring out at least a few more Samezuka members they could pick off.

“Heading off into the parking garage, east of the street,” Haru barked into his earpiece, just incase this was a trap of some kind. It seemed awfully suspicious that a Samezuka member would take such a risky shot. It seemed far too random and naive for Samezuka. Samezuka rarely showed their faces in public, never did they attend mobs unless they were out of uniform.

“I’ve got you on visual,” Nagisa replied sharply. Haru could feel the rock of the world as Nagisa shot more explosives into the street, not too far away from where Haru stood.

The chase was something that came natural to Haru. He was the predator, sleek and silent as he ghosted over the ground, his heart pounding, yearning to taste fear from whoever his prey was. Haru easily scaled the stairs to the upstairs part of the huge parking garage, catching sight of Mikoshiba’s orange hair and the flicker of his black jacket behind him. Haruka pushed forward, the instinct to capture pulling his instinct to a heated close.

His programmed instincts, buried deep down beneath the morals associated with humanity, pushed Haru through the naked parking garage, pulsing through him like a second heartbeat. He was oblivious to all but the goal, the goal of capture and take. He rushed past the cement pillars of the parking garage, the ground blank and grey, the only lights being that from the orangey overhead lights that flickered on and off. The place echoed with their footsteps, sunlight peaking in every now and then through cracks in the walls and dancing over Haru’s skin.

Haru leaped up the stairs, Mikoshiba growing closer through his clumsy steps of panic. Haru yelled, releasing the built agitation of being denied his catch for so long.

Mikoshiba crossed a bridge that connected two of the buildings, darting ahead. Haru watched him throw out a array of black balls from his pockets, their form rolling onto the bridge.

Haru skidded to a quick and abrupt stop, nearly falling over himself as he desperately stopped.

The bridge lit up in a show of lights, Haru stopping to cover his ears before the sound of thick cement cracking could deafen him. The light show was blinding, Haru falling back as white hot light exploded from the little black pellets on the ground, blowing black, thick smoke everywhere. Debris flew from the flash, the building rocking with force before everything came to a stand still.

Haru blinked the smoke out of his eyes, coughing. The ramp was destroyed completely by the explosion, pieces of cement still crumbling from the damage.

Mikoshiba’s eyes were wide, staring at the damage he had done, and back at Haruka. He almost looked proud of himself- knowing Haruka had no other way to cross into the part of the garage he was in unless Haru ran back down to ground level, which by that time Mikoshiba would be long gone. Or at least, so he thought.

Haru laughed the smoke out of his lungs, Mikoshiba’s smile dropping from his face.

 _Nice try,_ Haru mouthed, taking a few steps back. By the time he leaped over the destroyed bridge, Mikoshiba had taken off. Haru rolled upon contact on the other side, hopping back to his feet without a moment of stall, sprinting back into the chase.

It didn't take Haru long to realize Mikoshiba was damn fast. Like a lightning bolt, his fiery hair showed like a spark, darting through the empty garage. Haru breathed harshly through his nose, footsteps becoming mere background noise as the two sprinted. Haru could hear Mikoshiba panting, his footwork was messy and he tripped going up the next set of stairs. It became clear that Mikoshiba’s wasted potential was all in his strategies. Haru had to keep pace, Mikoshiba might just tire himself out before he even reached the top.

But, Haru realized he was closer to the top than he thought, the sunlight pouring over the next set of stairs. Haru pushed forward, realizing now was his time to act. If there was a helicopter waiting at the top of this parking garage, he had to act now.

Haru readied his tranq. Licking his lips, Haru’s legs burned as he pushed the last yards out of them, leaping up the stairs after Mikoshiba. The sun was blinding, but Haru acted as if sight was not necessary. He shot the tranq, the gun whistling as the dart was blown from its muzzle.

The juddering of helicopter blades was what forced Haru’s vision to work. The hunk of metal seamlessly floated in the sky, it’s large body rising from the side of the parking garage. It was jet black, sleek and seemingly swift- shark jaws painted on its side. Mikoshiba’s body was disappearing into it- the dart of a tranq in his thigh.

Haru paced backwards, his chase was a failure but he had to get out of here right now. Apparently, Nagisa knew that to.

“Haru! Get out of there!” Nagisa shouted into his earpiece, Haru wincing at the shrill volume of it.

“Hold your fire, Nagisa!” Came Makoto next- knowing Nagisa- he was probably about to panic and shoot that helicopter right out of the air. Thankfully, no explosions followed, so Haru knew Nagisa had listened.

Haru slowly stepped backwards, his legs burning but his brain filled with ice as hands hoisted the now unconscious Mikoshiba all the way into the helicopter. Haru was about to turn on his heel and sprint away until he heard a shriek and boots slam on the pavement of the roof.

Haru knew who it was even before he looked. His veins lit on fire like a bomb went off on the roof, his skin burning with the eyes he knew were staring at him.

“Rin!” He heard Nagisa’s voice on his earpiece, the sound of it merely a broken sob.

Makoto did not hesitate. “Haru, get out of there, right now,” Makoto’s voice was a low demand, a rumble of the crowd occupying the sound beyond him. “Haruka!” Makoto barked once Haru did not reply.

Haru took out his earpiece, stomping it to the ground. The piece of tech sizzled and jolted with electricity as it died on the ground.

Rin’s hair blew around him, red as the angry color that flashed through Haru’s mind. Rin stood tall, his black jacket whipping around due to the helicopter blowing hot air behind him. Haru’s blood boiled, fire catching in front of his eyes at the sight of crimson irises.

“I’ve never had a reason to hate you before,” Rin’s voice was unlike the time Haru had heard it last. He sounded exhausted, but yet filled with the red hot anger portrayed in his eyes.

Haru shot his tranq blindly for the second time, but through shaking hands the dart ricocheted off the railing that lined the roof. Rin moved like an inferno burned in his wake, sprinting quickly towards Haru as he took another shot. The dart buried itself into the ground, eating cement. The next time Haru pulled the trigger it stalled, letting out a cry of loneliness now that it was empty. Rin slammed Haru to the ground with ease, and Haru found a different desperation inside him.

He sent a kick towards Rin’s gut, knocking the other back, though not for long. Rin came charging, slamming himself into Haru again. The two boys locked in a desperate struggle of punches and kicks- Haru locking his arms around Rin’s neck as the fire engulfed the both of them. The heat ate away at Haru’s mind and he screamed, the solid punch that Rin landed on him sending sparks into bruising tissue. Haru tumbled back, using the ground to launch himself up on strong legs, twisting his body to connect a sturdy kick to Rin’s jaw. Haru heard the satisfying snap and a yelp of thick pain bubble from Rin’s throat.

Haru collided with the ground, not bothering to catch himself as the inferno ate away at Haru’s instincts. Rin tumbled back, his hands pushing against his jaw to pop it back into place.

Rin bared his teeth- sharpened weapons of hatred and animalistic rage. Haru realized the hard cement had knocked the wind out of him, and he struggled for breath- but in return he only inhaled smoke from Rin’s blaze.

“What are you doing with Sousuke?” Rin snapped, “Where is he?” Rin circled Haru like a predator, ready to attack. All Haru could see was white hot rage.

“Doesn’t matter,” Haru managed, he needed to say at least this despite his throat contracting with agony, “I’ll make sure he’s dead by the end of all this.”

Rin howled in rage, pouncing at Haru. Haruka only had time to even scrape the edges of his boots in an attempt to stand before Rin knocked him to the ground.

Rin was firm with thick muscle, his calves toned and thighs thick with pure power. Rin could crush Haru with ease if he wanted. Haru could not forge a fight, he was too busy trying to put out the spreading wildfire devouring his brain.

“Why does he matter so much to you?” Haru coughed- “He’s a filthy- f-fuck, filthy rebel,” Haru did not flinch as he heard the click of a gun, Rin untucking a black pistol from his jacket.

“You’ll understand soon, Haru,” Rin wheezed, his voice curled with hostility and rage, “I promise you that.”

Haru felt the hot muzzle of a gun blow apart his thigh. Haru only did so much as flinch as scorching pain and warm blood blew from his leg. “No running,” Rin hissed, tucking away the gun.

The fire was put out as soon as Haru thought of Makoto.

Haru looked at his ear piece- it still completely destroyed and crushed on the ground- he looked at it as if he was trying to put it back together with his will alone.

Haru quickly realized what was going on as soon as Rin tried to heave him up. They had run out of tranqs. Rin shot his legs so he couldn't run. They were _taking_ him.

Haru screamed in protest, apparently Rin forgot his other leg was just fine, and he slammed it into Rin’s calf. In quick motion Haru toppled to the ground, gasping as the hard cement floor crushed his lungs, leaving him gasping for breath, lungs fluttering in his ribcage.

Rin had his gun held up again. Haru wanted to scream at him to fight him for real, but the bullet in Haru’s leg told him it was too late.

Rin’s focus was as sharp as the bullet itself, and he aimed the gun. Haru’s scream was silent as he tried to tear away, embracing the force of the gun.

But it never came.

Haru sobbed when he heard his voice.

“Drop it!”

Makoto’s voice was strong. Haru could hear the stress in his voice, the overwhelm of his circuits, Makotos limits being pushed to the edge and his voice was frayed and splitting at the edges. But all Haru could think about was that Makoto had come to save him, and he gasped out, writhing around uselessly on the ground so he could reach out for his savior. _Yes, yes, destroy him, Makoto._

Despite Makoto sounding completely and utterly fried, Haru watched Makoto’s voice split Rin in half. The gun clattered to the ground as if Rin was a dog and Makoto was his master.

Haru’s vision flickered. Damn blood loss.

It would be okay though. Makoto was here.

/ ** /

_Shit, shit, shit shit._

It probably wasn’t Rin’s best idea to take on any of them without more than three pre-prepared tranqs. And then send MoMo to dish out those tranqs. Okay, yeah, terrible idea.

Everything was going smoothly until Makoto came.

Rin’s anger split in half, making way for sudden terror as he met those eyes. Makoto’s eyes were wide in rage, his whole body heaving as he panted. Makoto stared Rin down like he was his prey, and Makoto was the predator. There was room for nothing else but fear in Rin’s mind, his anger clawing out his insides perfectly for fear to fill him to the brim. It was the perfect concoction.

Rin couldn’t beileve he dropped his gun. Fuck, why had he dropped his gun? Though, the gun probably wouldn't do much, Rin knew Makoto wouldn’t stop no matter how many bullets Rin managed to get into his body.

Rin knew the worst possible thing to do in front of Makoto was to hurt Haru.

Ever since living in Samezuka, the brewing fear over how good Makoto was at killing resonated within Rin. It resonated within everyone, the mere mention of Makoto sent shockwaves through Samezuka like a bomb had gone off. He thought it didn't get to him, Makoto was his friend, but now that he was seeing Makoto poised like a wild animal, ready to tear his throat out, he realized how much of a threat Makoto was.

Makoto stepped forward, his body creaking as if he were carrying hundreds of pounds with him. Rin jolted back. He heard Nitori let out a small squeak from above.

“Rin,” Nitori begged from the helicopter, his voice broken but not only because he couldn't hear himself speak.

Makoto’s lips curled in a snarl. “Go on,” Rin shivered at Makoto’s tone. Rin could tell Makoto was desperately trying to keep his calm,  trying to keep his instincts down but instead he was putting his own distortion right on display. “Run on home to Samezuka, Rin.” Makoto’s tone lowered, scraping gravel, “Before I crush you.”

In a weak attempt to be the most stubborn, hopeless bastard there ever was, Rin scrambled for his gun. _Achilles._ He needed Makoto’s achilles. Shoot that and he’d be useless. Ai could mix up another tranq and he’d be out. Before Makoto could charge Rin shot his gun, emotion and heated memories of Sousuke blurring his head all in one jolt of his figure, his muscles pushed the curl of his finger around the trigger with the promise of finishing Freebird for Sousuke.

The gun clicked.

_Oh god, it was empty._

_Why was it empty?_

Alright, well, him and Sousuke were both as good as dead now. So was freebird. Awesome.

Rin scrambled for the helicopters ladder as Makoto let out a yell of pure rage, charging forward. Rin got one hand into the copter before he felt hands grabbing his ankle. Rin didn't get a chance to even think. He was weightless for seconds before slamming against hard ground, Makoto yanking him so hard it made him lose all hope on ever getting back on that helicopter. He flung him like a ragdoll, making Rin’s limbs uselessly go limp across the floor as he wheezed in the open air for breath. The smell of blood and panic hung thick in the air.

Makoto circled him, snarling and frothing like an animal. He looked at Rin as if he were nothing more than a dirty pest, Rin could not see a single ounce of Makoto’s normal care and love behind those eyes. _What had Iwatobi done to him?_

It didn't take long to realize Makoto was in some kind of fight mode. Some kind of simple minded, instinctual rage. Iwatobi had programmed him so he’d go to this place. There was a mob going on, and Makoto was meant for those, maybe this was the right time to strike.

“Ai!” Rin called, even though he knew Ai couldn’t hear him, but he could certainly read his lips. Ai was hanging out of the helicopter,  he quickly understood. “Get a tranq ready!” Rin’s chest ached as he talked, he could feel blood start to flood his mouth from the force of hard impact.

Makoto snapped around, snarl forming on his curled lips. He met Nitori’s eyes, his shoulders heaving up- ready to attack.

Rin knew Makoto could take down that helicopter. He didn't doubt Makoto’s abilities, he could probably yank it right out of the sky.

The fear in Nitori’s eyes were unmistakable, and the small boy yelped, falling back. Rin’s stomach dropped-  no- he wouldn't let Nitori get hurt.

Rin climbed to his feet, hunched and clutching his aching bones. He whistled, a high pitched noise that swelled in the air, and Makoto answered it like a dog. Makoto’s attention was back on him again and Rin wasn’t sure if that was a good thing despite the brief feeling of pride swelling in his chest. “Focus on me,” Rin breathed ,his voice fat with panic, but Makoto’s attention on him stayed. Good.

Ai had retreated to the back of the helicopter, no doubt mixing a tranq. They needed to get out of here, Makoto or not. Rin knew Nitori wouldn’t leave without him, and the only way to do that happened to be to subdue Makoto. _Somehow._

_Would the tranq even work? Makoto was so big, and, clearly pissed beyond belief.. .._

Rin’s thoughts were suddenly forced out of him by Makoto’s body, slamming into him. Pain blossomed in his ribs and he heard the sickening crunch of his own body, crumpling against Makoto’s brute strength as he twisted Rin’s body in a direction it really shouldn’t be in. Makoto squeezed a scream out of him, drowning out the helicopters humming with the sound of human terror. Rin swore his heart exploded in his chest, staining his insides with red. Makoto was milking the life out of him.

Suddenly, Rin was airborne again. The relief was beautiful, but when he made contact with the hard ground, all the pain surged within him, writhing with the agony of broken limbs and dying breaths.

Rin gasped out, seeing the blurry frame of his form. If Rin wasn’t trained how to deal with this stuff, if Rin was a normal person, Makoto would’ve killed him.

_There's an idea._

Rin went still. Limp on the ground. The pain of releasing the tension in his body was worse than before, but he toughed through it. He had to tough through it. He could feel Makoto circling him, investigating him like a hungry scavenger, dying to pick out the life from between Rin’s bones. Makoto’s eyes cut like knives on Rin’s skin, the urge to squirm under his dominating force was ever present between the pain.

Suddenly, the burn of eyes left.

Makoto’s voice was small. “Rin?” He called, as if a small, hurt child. Just as Makoto had broken his bones, he had broken his heart too. Makoto nudged him- “R-Rin?” Panic suddenly seized his voice as if he snapped out of it. He had snapped out of it.

Rin jolted himself awake, not being able to live with hurting Makoto. Seeing Makoto sad would be worse than death. Makoto was a good man, always had been. Iwatobi couldn’t change that no matter how much shit they pumped into his brain, and Rin knew that.

Rin’s body screamed as he reached out, touching Makoto’s cheek.

Makoto breathed out a laugh, relief loosening his facial features and softening his jaw, “Thank god,” Makoto gasped, choking on sobs. His eyes danced in his skull, pupils unable to focus as he flitted through his thoughts. He looked absolutely fried, hands twitching and shaking.

Suddenly Makoto’s body pointed upward, Rin fearing his life once more- “Haru!” Makoto cried, and Rin let go a breath of relief as Makoto retreated to the other corner of the roof, retrieving Haru’s limb body, cradling him in his arms. Haru was as small as a mouse compared to Makoto, his small body looked almost unnatural in Makoto’s huge one.

Makoto cooed nonsense to him, rubbing up against Haruka. Haru was conscious again, dragging his fingers limply over Makoto’s cheek. They hung there to appreciate Makoto’s presence.

Rin’s stomach twisted with sudden guilt- god, why was he guilty? They were killing Sousuke. No doubt did Haru torture him, probably denying him water for days, humiliating him, hurting him- Rin’s heart suddenly dropped as he heard the whistle of a tranq.

Despite the burn in his legs, Rin was on his feet. He covered his neck, protecting it from a potential hit.

But, he heard Haru scream in terror instead.

Ai held the tranq posed in front of his eye, his chest heaving with heavy breaths, the muzzle of the gun pointed right at Makoto. The fuzzy end of the dart rested in his hip, and Makoto nearly dropped Haru to get away.

“Go, go!” Haru screamed, and Makoto did just that. Throwing Haru’s body over his shoulder, Makoto ran. Retreating back into the parking garage.

“Ai!” Rin yelled, and despite the pain of everything, he motioned for Ai to follow. Agony burned Rin’s legs as he limped after them, Ai quickly running ahead with his not-broken bones. As they followed, Rin could hear Makoto yelling- presumably into his earpiece- “Hold your fire!”- but soon, his voice started to grow thick with the clutches of exhaustion.

It didn't take long for Makoto to collapse, dropping to his knees. Tranqs never took too long to work, and though Nitori’s shot was far from perfect it was good enough. Rin slowed to a stop once realizing Makoto no longer had the strength to get up, his chest heaving in a pathetic attempt to stay awake. Rin almost felt bad. Almost. Iwatobi had left him cold after taking Sousuke from him, and it was all Haru and Makoto’s fault he was gone.

Rin stumbled backwards when Makoto turned to snarl at him. He was cornered like a animal in a trap, pathetic and reduced to nothing but a empty threat.

Rin knew Makoto knew what was going on. The fear in his eyes was unmistakable, they were wide and he was shaking with terror, arms tense around Haru protectively. He gave him a squeeze, as if he was trying to hug him but was far too uncoordinated. Haru’s semi-unconscious body was suddenly tossed, making Haru yelp- Makoto’s last attempt to keep Haru safe. The sound of his body against the hard cement was hollow and he yelped in pain, tumbling to a halt a good distance away.

Makoto collapsed, face pressed to the pavement. His body was tense in fear, Rin could hear his heart pounding against the ground, his lips pressed tight together.

Ai took to his knees, sliding out cuffs from his belt as a safety measure. “R-Rin,” Makoto coughed, his voice muffled with the need to sleep, “Pl-please, don’t,” Makoto’s eyes were starting to flutter. The amount of ease Ai slid the cuffs onto his wrists was surprising, Makoto was going limp, “They need me, they need me, don’t take me,” Makoto turned his head, huffing in exhaustion at the small action. Rin had to turn away. He couldn’t watch. “They’re going to hurt Haru if you take me, they’re gonna..” Makoto trailed off, pinching his eyebrows together, trying to clear the sleep from his thoughts, “They’re gonna blame him, and hurt him, please d-don’t.”

Makoto was so selfless and Rin hated him for it.

This was the perfect revenge on Haru. This, this was for Sousuke and Rin had to get that through his head. He hated Haru for this- the cold in Rin’s chest had existed ever since Sousuke was gone, and this was supposed to satisfy every crave. But Makoto, he was hurting Makoto. Rin didn't think of that, hell, he hadn't even considered Makoto to be any more than a point of accomplice.

The tone of his pleas hurt Rin more the broken bones did.

The hatred that boiled Rin’s blood had completely drowned out how Makoto would feel. And now here he was, laying there and begging to Rin, begging that he didn't want his team to get hurt because of this. Begging to stay for the most selfless, gushy reason in the world. He didn't want Haru to get hurt.

The last words on Makoto’s lips before he fell asleep were “I love you,” his head pointed in Haru’s direction.

Ai had to help carry Makoto. It was a two person effort and they couldn't even get him off the ground all the way. They dragged him back up towards the roof.

For some reason, hearing Haru scream wasn’t as satisfying as it should’ve been. Haru yelled Makoto’s name, begging and pleading uselessly with Rin, his screams matching the drift of consciousness his body went through. Rin couldn’t feel anger in Haru’s tone, just sadness and wholesome regret. He was scared, his normally strong voice quaking with the thought of losing Makoto. The sound of his boots scraping against the floor in an attempt to stand echoed throughout the empty parking garage. Haru’s desperate sobs were drowned out by the thrum of the helicopter when they reached it.

As soon as they threw Makoto’s limb body into the helicopter, right next to Momo’s sleeping body, the head of a Iwatobi helicopter surfaced over the horizon, it’s white body pristine and glowing against the sunlight. The screams from the mob collected again since Makoto and Haru had allowed it to reform, swelling underneath the buildings like a raging ocean.

Rin wanted to go back for Haru. But, Ai was already driving the helicopter upwards, explosions launching into the roof of the building where their helicopter hovered seconds ago.

It was almost as if Iwatobi would rather have Makoto dead.

Rin had dreamt of getting his friends back. Always had. But looking at Makoto’s sleeping body as Ai drove the helicopter quickly away, retreating into the camouflage of sky, he felt nothing but cold.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i really dont like this chapter  
> I realy like the second half but. uhnhg.
> 
> SO i just want to explain some sousuke things because im bad at backstory : Sousuke is a really hard worker and his entire life is his work, he imagines he has a lot of weight on his shoulders because his dad was so cool, but really he just kind of puts that weight on himself. Rin's like 'hey' !! and sousuke loosens up a lot and he becomes SUPER GAY. I was going to have more sousuke and rin scenes where they're dating but I feel like they dont really effect the plot that much.  
> ALSO since sousuke was so focused on finishing the freebird project for rin, when he saw makoto and haru at the party or whatever thats why he just kind of. stupidly ran after them. without help . 
> 
> ALSO UM THE PART where haru is rlly pissed at him is after makoto gets taken and haru gets home. 
> 
> so ya thats it. Next chapter will include some more background stuff on samezuka and iwatobi, and probably be from makoto/rins perspective since im getting kind of tired of writing about iwatobi lol  
> thank u so much for reading!!! comments are super duper appreciated. Constructive criticism is totally welcome, if you spot any typos/ sentences that dont make sense PLEASE let me know!! I'm not very good at proofreading . Please leave a kudos/ comment : '> ill love u 5ever


	5. Turning Tides

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hoo boy i dont like this hapter at all
> 
> originally makoto and his mom were supposed to meet but i think im just going to cut her exsistance out of this fic, bye . 
> 
> anyways like nothing happens in this chapter. i didnt even spellcheck it. its gonna be a mess. also rin is the hardest one for me to write lol
> 
> also sorry for the long wait time on updating, ive been into yoi and voltron a lot 
> 
> ALSO I fNIALLY JUST GOT AROUND TO CHANGING THE BAD CHAPTER TITLE NAMES!! YAy! now theyre a little less bad
> 
>  
> 
> chapter summary: makoto and rin have a big slumber party and braid eachothers hair while everybody else is probably dead

All the deep breaths and scenario-imagining was ultimately really fucking pointless, because as soon as Rin laid eyes on Makoto he wanted to run.

Sei had decided locking Makoto in one of their ‘special’ hospital rooms would be sufficient until they figured out what they were going to do with him. It was clear Makoto was doing everything but panicking and he’d be fucking impossible to crack, that was for sure. Maybe Rin had underestimated Makoto, Rin had thought Makoto would split in half when he was brought here and Rin could press all his bells and buttons until he made him seize. But, Makoto’s eyes were hard as he looked up at Rin. His body was tense in thought but yet calm, unafraid of Rin’s presence, unafraid of Samezuka.

The grit of his jaw was evident that he was pissed.

Of course Makoto was pissed. Makoto had sealed the walls around him tightly, his anger as hard as iron.

This room, though locked, Makoto had free roam of. The most binding Makoto had on him were the cuffs on his hands, which weren't even attached to anything. Maybe going into his room wasn’t the smartest idea, especially when one of Rin’s arms was broken and he depended on crutches to get around.

Sei and Rin had agreed that Rin should most definitely be the first person Makoto sees. Rin was the only one who wasn’t strange, and could possibly be someone to help Makoto move into the harsh surroundings. But, then again, Rin was the one who shot Haruka in the leg and was the guy who brought Makoto here in the first place. And from the look on Makoto’s face, it looked as though he was recounting every second of being dragged away from Haru.

Makoto wasn’t a idiot though. He simply crossed his legs in his seat, hiking up his chest and sending Rin a glare only matched by that of death’s. His green eyes sliced the air and made Rin’s broken bones and bruised ribs ache with the reminder of what Makoto’s rage could do. Makoto wouldn't attack. He knew where he was, he knew guards were probably waiting outside. Panic was also bad, panic made cracks in Makoto’s wall, cracks that Rin could dig his fingers into and pry open. Makoto knew better than that.

The air was painfully silent for a while, and Rin debated on whether he should take another step inside or not. He never would’ve thought he’d be afraid of Makoto.

Rin gulped. This was hard.

He had laid out a plan of attack. Get Makoto to feel as at home as possible. Make him feel safe, make him trust Samezuka. Make him realize Samezuka was good and Iwatobi was bad.

Rin’s first words to Makoto were awkward and brisk- “Hey.”

Makoto thought over the simple word for a strangely long amount of time. His lips lifted in a grimace when he was done, eyebrows furrowing tight.

“You’re, uh, quiet,” Rin laughed. He had to breath- _Makoto was Makoto._ Makoto was his friend and just because he was mad didn't mean he wasn’t himself.

“Where's my jacket?” Makoto’s first spoken words to Rin were evidence Makoto hadn't spoken to anyone else in the days he had been here. His voice was rough and unused, and Rin was so focused on the sound of it he hardly heard what Makoto said. “I want my jacket. It’s mine.”

The jacket. Oh! The jacket. His jacket... Rin gulped, he didn't know where the jacket was.

“I don’t know where it is,” Rin whispered, Makoto was hugging himself like an embarrassed child despite wearing a shirt. When they brought Makoto here, his body limp with sleep, they had removed the white jacket at some point. Someone had to have taken it, Sei must know where it is, “I can ask the commander about it.”

“Who, Mikoshiba?” Makoto snapped, the spite in his tone making Rin jump. _Holy shit , Makoto was really mad,_ “He’s come in here a few times, tortured me with his lectures, trying to be nice or something,” Makoto spoke as if he was cursing, his lips curled in disgust, “I’m not falling for it, Rin.”

Rin didn't even know how to react. Shit, he couldn’t even think about how Sei lied to him about talking to Makoto.

Makoto’s legs were unfolding, his body hunching on the chair and Rin realized that his greatest fear was the thought of Makoto even just standing- “I know he’s trying to act like he’s better than me, I was dying to- mh,” Makoto cut himself off, but Rin knew what he was implying by the clench of his bruised fists.

“He’s lucky I didn't do anything,” Makoto was leaning on his feet- and in one moment he was standing, Rin’s vision flickering at Makoto’s towering height. Rin braced once crutch behind him. “He was trying to act like I was normal, and I hated it, because I know they’re all scared of me,” Makoto stepped forward, the action making the grip of Rin’s crutches slip against the floor. Bringing his chest up, Makoto’s expression loosened for one, final realization- “Even you’re scared of me.”

Rin gulped, Makoto bearing holes into his being with the look of -something- in his expression. Rin couldn't even tell what Makoto was feeling right now.

Makoto was sinking back into the corner of the room, his shoulders relaxing and rolling out the tenseness, “I belong in Iwatobi,” Makoto admitted it as if he knew Iwatobi was bad. Makoto figured himself bad ,too. “You belong here. There's a big difference between us, Rin.”

Makoto sat back down. The press of his lips was proof that he was done talking, and if that wasn’t enough he was picking up one of the books the nurses left for him.

Iwatobi was despicable. Murdering the hopes and dreams of many, the poor and rich alike being killed for not following petty laws. Conditioning young, innocent kids into killing machines. Making Makoto feel like the monster he wasn’t. Fuck, Iwatobi had taken absolutely everything, even beyond the innocent lives of the residents of this sad little island.

Though, Rin assumed it was his fault too. The seizing fear in his gut was all because of Iwatobi, not of Makoto. Sweet, gentle Makoto, he wouldn’t hurt a fly unless he was told and his control in the dire situation he was in proved that.

Rin swallowed down his fear, washing out the implanted fear, and replacing Makoto’s cruel image with that of a friend.

“There doesn't have to be a difference,” Rin managed to say. Makoto’s expression suddenly stiffened, looking over the edge of his book over to Rin’s pathetic, injured form.

They stared at each other for a while in silence. Fire meeting gentle forest in a exchange of peace.

Makoto would always look after everyone. Though Rin and him were constantly challenged over who would be the leader, their competition never became any more than that. A friendly competition. Makoto would take the blame for everything, Makoto would make sure everyone was okay after a practice mission, Makoto would kiss cuts and scrapes and blush like a freak when he was complimented. Iwatobi might’ve wrecked him but there was something underneath all that, and on Rin’s birthday and the night he lost Sousuke, Rin knew for sure Makoto was still Makoto beyond everything.

Rin fished out a tiny, golden key from his pocket. Crutching forward, Rin snatched the book from Makoto’s clutches before Makoto could act with frustration and pushed the key into the matching hole on the handcuffs. The silver cuffs snapped off easily, and Makoto stared at them before glancing at Rin with the same expression of awe.

“Let’s go get your jacket,” Rin sighed, offering out a hand.

Makoto stared at it, questioning his existence. “I can’t,” Makoto said, “I’m a prisoner. You caught me-”

“You aren’t a prisoner,” Rin cut him off, as scary as Makoto was he was annoying as all hell too.

“Everyone will be scared,” Makoto huffed, “I can’t just walk out there.”

“Stop arguing,” Rin found bravery in his annoyance. Why was Makoto insistent on _behaving_ when he wasn’t even being told anything? Why was he being so submissive in a place where he really even shouldn’t be? It was, really, somewhat exhausting. “Let’s go. You’re probably hungry too, right? We can get food on the way.”

Makoto stared. He wasn't glaring this time- the only force in his scrunched up eyebrows was that of confusion.

Rin forced Makoto’s hand in his, squeezing it as he tried to pull Makoto to a stand, “I’m not getting your jacket for you, let's go-” Makoto stumbled into a walk off his chair with Rin’s insistent yanking.

“But I broke your arm, look, I hurt you-” Makoto wouldn’t shut up now, his words verging on afraid.

“Yeah, and I tranqed you and brought you here. We’re even.” Rin returned, making sure to dip out of the room before Makoto had a chance to even get near it. The three guards, arms packed with tranquilizers and guns, stared at him with questioning expressions, probably wondering if it was safe.

“Dismissed,” Rin declared. The four men exchanged looks, and with a final, hardy glare from Rin, the guards saluted him and went on their way. Rin assumed it would be safer to have the guards follow them as he walked Makoto out, but fuck it, Makoto had already made it obvious he had no intention of hurting anybody since he hadn’t torn Rin’s throat out when he had the chance.

Rin’s body released in a huff, and he continued his crutching. Makoto’s body started to hover so close as they weaved through the hospital space that Makoto’s presence tickled Rin’s skin with nerves. Makoto reeked of stress despite his control over himself.

Rin really should’ve just worn Sousuke’s jacket today. It would’ve made him feel safer despite it not having the slightest trace that Sousuke had worn it for the past twenty years anymore. It smelt now of laundry detergent and tears, but for some reason wearing it felt like the safest thing in the world .Like nothing could get to Rin as long as he was wearing Sousuke’s jacket.

But no, the jacket resting on his shoulders right now was Rin’s own jacket, and didn't provide any comfort outside of the soft plush that the sleeves were lined with.

“Makoto,” Rin started, “If you start wearing the jacket around, you’re gonna seriously freak some people out.” Rin said, trying to calm his voice despite Makoto’s fear screaming into Rin’s ear, “I mean, no one's stopping you from wearing it, I just thought I’d let you know.” None of the guards would dare bother Tachibana Makoto over something as simple as a jacket. Even if that jacket caused mass panic throughout Samezuka, that wasn’t any worse than the literal embodiment of that white jacket walking around Samezuka as a free man. “Also,” Rin continued, “We don’t carry tranqs around here. If you do anything, the guards will shoot you, with like, actual bullets. So be careful.” The proper way Samezuka guards were supposed to handle people who got violent, or did crimes, was to try to do anything to subdue them besides using their guns. But, Rin knew if Makoto did _anything_ , their first reaction would be to shoot him.

“Do your guards carry tasers?” Makoto asked, proving that escape wasn’t even on his mind.

“Yeah,” Rin replied, “They’re probably not as strong as the ones at Iwatobi. And, I think you’ll be fine.” Makoto let out a shaky breath. Rin could remember in his final year at Iwatobi, the preference the guards had for taking Makoto down without using their head-pounding tranqs was with electric shocks and zaps from the steel muzzle of the tasers. Rin didn't doubt that had gotten worse. The image of it only made Rin’s stomach stiffen in anxiety- “Hey, don’t worry about it, as long as you follow our rules everything will be fine.”

“I don’t even know your rules,” Makoto whispered, his voice harsh and hot on Rin’s neck.

“Just don’t hurt anybody,” Rin shrugged, “And I don’t think you intended on doing that anyways. We have basic rules, no stealing, stuff like that, I’ll get into the specifics later.”  Samezuka had certain rules, especially to those who went outside often, to keep its base location a secret. Rin had a even more strict amount of rules applied to him, considering he was part of Iwatobi at one point, and he presumed Makoto would have to follow the same guidelines... But for now, that wasn’t a problem. Getting Makoto situated was the problem.

The walk out of the hospital was a twisty and turny one, having to weave through multiple rooms and skinny hallways. Though when they exited, Makoto’s eyes immediately found the ceiling and it’s rather cave-like decor. The lights, that constantly glowed a dull orange, flickered and cast gold shadows along the ground as a reminder of how deep underground they were.

“Cool, right?” Rin nearly laughed, though Makoto was probably scared of it depending on when he clutched at Rin’s shoulders with his big hands for support, “We’re super deep underground.” Thankfully, the level they were at was the deepest level, and the deepest level also happened to be the most unpopulated. This place housed most major officers rooms, the hospital, and the safe space for bombings. This place, that smelt like stagnant water and flickered gold, was where Rin spent most of his days. The hall him and Makoto walked down were the same halls him and Sousuke used to race down. “See, this is the deepest level. The higher you go up, the more populated everything becomes,” Rin smiled, “You’ll get used to it. You’re probably going to end up taking the room next to mine, so we’ll be neighbors.”

“Y-yeah,” Makoto spoke as if he was in some sort of dream. Like he couldn’t beileve what was being said to him, but was just complying for the sake of complying.

Rin looked back at Makoto, watching the way his normally pride stride faltered, and his hands cautiously gripped the back of Rin’s jacket as if something was going to jump out at them. A sigh found Rin’s body at the sight of it- Rin wanted to make all of this better right now. Makoto’s fear and stress and anger was something Rin really didn't want to see. Even worse, he really didn't want to be the cause of it all either.

“Commander’s office is on the floor above this one,” Rin said softly, leading Makoto up a flight of stairs.

Memories of the time Iwatobi tried to bomb them out flickered through Rin’s mind. He was so scared that he couldn’t remember what the fear even felt like. Rin paused on the stairs if only for a second- remembering Sousuke’s kind hands when he helped Rin steady himself as they went down the stairs.

 _“I won’t let them get you,”_ Was all Sousuke had said. Sousuke had convinced himself he was never good with words, but Rin knew the opposite, because he’d never, ever forget those words.

Sei’s office was normally absent of anyone besides Sei. Even though Sei did infact have a room of his own, his office was pretty much his living space. Every waking moment Sei spent in here unless he was attending some meeting. Rin didn't doubt that Sei had maybe never even seen the light of day.

Sei, other than working all day, was a surprisingly fit man. He was perfectly young, and it was odd to see someone so young taking on such a role. His father had died young, and Sei was quick to take his place as the commander. Even though Rin had somewhat accepted his role as Samezuka’s mascot, Sei fit the description perfectly. His ambition was show in everything he did, power seized in his golden eyes and bravery laced within every step he took. Sei always stood tall and proud and he looked like the human equivalent of gold. It was a loss that he was completely shadowed in mystery, hell, Rin was pretty sure Iwatobi had no idea what he even looked like.

Sei was doing something, as always, his body sat neatly at his desk with coffee in the other hand, though when Rin barged in unannounced, Sei swiveled in his seat.

Noticeably, Sei was shaken by Makoto’s presence in the room.

His shoulders hiked up as Makoto's gaze caught his, and his open mouth stumbled on words. Sei looked at Rin, then back at Makoto, and then back at Rin.

"Nobody gave you the permission to take him out!" Sei's whisper was harsh as he stumbled over to Rin, falling over and catching himself on Rin's shoulders, "You even took off his cuffs-!"

"I mean, he doesnt really need them," Rin replied, trying to let Sei's shock roll off his shoulders instead of sinking in, "You guys let me walk around first thing."

Sei scoffed under his breath, his lips twitching up into a nervous smile, "Well, you were a lot smaller." Sei laughed, looking everywhere besides at the other two men in the room, "This is super different, Rin, he's-" Sei cut himself off, taking a breath. Rin figured he had probably made some face of disgust at Sei without even knowing it... "He's not even supposed to be here."

"Yes he is," Rin explained simply, "Freebird project. I brought him here. I know I dont have as much authority as Sousuke did, and that I really shouldn't be taking helicopters and crashing mobs without permission. But you already grounded me, and he's here now and I'm in charge of freebird." Sei blinked. His eyebrows furrowed in offense- "What was it we came here for, Makoto?" Rin looked over his shoulder at his friend, who was currently obnoxiously biting his fingernails. Makoto's composure snapped into place as soon as he realized he was being watched.

Makoto blinked, his eyes wide, before cocking his head in confusion. "What?"

Had he not been listening to this entire conversation? ..Actually, that was honestly kind of relieving... Rin pressed his lips together- "What did you want?"

"My, uh," Makoto paused,  his eyes cautiously drifting over to Sei. Makoto did not back down, did not sink into his skin, but instead stared Sei down. The two looked deep into eachother, as if challenging each other's presence, their bodies stiff, two captains meeting in a show of unknowing.  When Makoto's eyebrows shifted into a squint of aggression, Rin knew he wasn't going to continue. Damnit. Rin was hoping to get somewhere with Sei and Makoto.

Rin huffed, body sagging in defeat, "He wants his jacket. You know where it is?"

"Ooh," Sei held up a finger, "Wait a second, I'll be right back," Sei, fortunately, knew better than to question the need for the jacket. Or deny the request. Sure, Sei could be entirely conceptual, his need to be smart and tactical outweighing time for heartfelt thought, but Sei was far from heartless. He didnt need to question why Makoto wanted his jacket, because Sei figured it was for a good reason.

When Sei returned from a corner of his office, he cradled the neatly folded jacket in his arms. White, with decorations of blue up the sleeves, it was nearly identical to Haru, Rei's and Nagisa's. The only difference was the gold trimming, making Makoto's captain title known with the shining fabric.

Makoto could hardly approach Sei. He rocked forward before halting, staring at the jacket longily- his arms out as if he expected someone to deliver it to him. He chewed on his lips, tongue flickering out to wet them.

Of course he needed a push. Makoto was a baby. Rin pressed his hand to Makoto's back ,nearly shoving the surprised boy forward. Makoto was able to snatch the jacket from Sei and scramble backwards, holding the white fabric tight to his chest as if it was his baby. Makoto looked it over carefully, checking the bundle for any scrapes or cuts, looking like the most worried mother on the planet. He held it close, patting its back.

“We gave it a wash,” Sei said softly, “It was a little dirty.” Clearly, he was trying to find common ground. Offer Makoto a safe, soft place to stay inside his voice. Makoto didn't reply, honestly, it looked as though he wasn’t even listening. Sei apparently gave up, stiffening out his back with a sharp inhale of breath as he paced back towards his desk, hands on his hips.

“Well, Rin, I assume you can do a good job explaining to Makoto what goes on around here,” Sei tutted, “If anyone knows Samezuka as well as I do, it's you.” Taking a final look over his shoulder, Sei smiled- “And Makoto-” Sei looked to make sure he grabbed Makoto’s attention this time, Makoto’s eyes feebly fluttering up from the jacket and staring at Sei, “It’s truly an honor to finally meet you.”

Makoto bit down on his lip, and Rin prepared to drag Makoto out of here and leave awkward silence hanging in their wake. But, Makoto cleared his throat- his voice was surprisingly stern. “Thank you, sir,” Rin was shocked with the amount of respect holding Makoto’s voice strong. He spoke with a respectful nod, and Sei did a double take before smiling. His grin glinted, childish excitement filling his expression with just how touched he was by the simple exchange.

Rin and Makoto walked out, Makoto’s arms shyly tucked into his sides, his jacket thrown over his shoulder. “Don’t,” Makoto started as soon as Sei’s door closed behind them.

Makoto was like a stubborn child. Rin snorted out  laugh, blowing his friend in the side. Something that Rin would’ve been terrified to do ten minutes ago. “You wanna go get food?” Rin offered, watching as Makoto carefully nodded, as if Rin was offering him something that could’ve been poisoned.  “If anyones scared, just know they’ll get used to you soon, okay? When I came around, everyone was scared of me for like, two weeks. But now everyone loves me!” Rin smiled brightly, trying to infect Makoto with the grin virus. The edges of his lips twitched upwards, he was fighting it but the squint of his eyes were making it obvious, his dimples really giving it away.

Rin broke Makoto with another shove to his side, small giggles falling from Makoto’s lips once his mouth fell open. It felt damn good to laugh with Makoto again. Something about it felt old and familiar, but yet entirely new.

“Samezuka’s food is really top notch,” Rin said, clutching Makoto’s wrist to direct him to the next flight of stairs, leading him to the mess hall, “We’ve got really good chocolate chip pancakes here, they’re my favorite, you’ll probably like them too.”

 

/ ** /

 

Makoto’s presence in Samezuka was not one welcomed, but, eventually it became normal. The residents of Samezuka who would once duck and avoid him now came to greet him, and Makoto treated everyone with a big smile and happy waves. Rin was unsure if Makoto was loving the attention or if he was just this outgoing in general, maybe it was a combination, but all of it seemed so incredibly innocent. Makoto liked Samezuka, that was for sure, and that was all Rin could really say for certain. Other Samezuka officers would come by and ruffle his hair, or give him pats on the back- and with that Rin realized turning Makoto to their side was now everyone’s mission.

Makoto seemed happy here... But, why hadn’t he seized yet?

Makoto carried on unbothered, he ate lunch with Rin, Nitori and Momo and was overjoyed with the amount of pancakes he could shove into his mouth, and he seemed comfortable and even respectable of Sei at this point. But yet, he still wore his jacket around. Still sported it like he was proud of the golden emblems on it, like he wanted to market off the poisonous name of Iwatobi around the rebel base.

Rin didn't want to push it. Nobody did.

Makoto’s neutrality was sacred to everyone, but Rin was starting to get sick of it. But he couldn’t push it. Makoto’s neutrality was annoying but far better than pissing him off.

Makoto’s hands were always careful with everything he handled as if he was deeply afraid he would crush it. He stepped around the room as if he was treading on top thin ice, but even though Makoto was being more careful than Rin had ever seen anyone be, when he gripped the golden metal mounted on Sousuke’s dresser, Rin’s heart seized in fear.

Makoto had been sleeping with Rin for the past week. He was a good roommate, respectful, and always kept his side of the bed. But Makoto couldn’t stay there forever, and since Rin stole Makoto out of the blue, the only room that would be empty soon was the one Rin feared to give up most.

Getting rid of this room would mean the end of Rin’s hope. Even though it was occupied only by Rin in the early hours of morning when nightmares woke him, and he was so delusional he could imagine Sousuke’s body sleeping next to his when he climbed into his bed, Rin couldn’t give it up. It was filled with every soft memory, every story that they had spoken within its walls, and most importantly- Sousuke’s life that had been left behind. Even his damn jacket still hung on the doorknob. The same jacket he used to wear every single day, the same jacket that Rin would now sport around with no embarrassment even when people commented on how big it was.

Makoto studied the metal, and Rin watched in terror as Makoto’s fingers grew tense around it. “I can’t take this room,” Makoto’s voice was a whisper, “It belongs to someone already.” Makoto gave Rin a knowing glance, running his fingers over the indented text of Sousuke’s name on the metal.

Makoto’s face broke into a sad smile, and Rin considered the fact that Makoto and Sousuke had probably spoken, and that Rin was all the more closer to him by Makoto being here. “Why on earth would you offer me _this_ room?”

“Well,” Rin shifted on the bed, a sigh filling his lungs, “I’m not the one who gave it to you. It’s the only room down here we can have you move into right now, I’m just here because I want to take the rest his stuff.” Rin’s fingers found the fabric of the blankets, the blankets that had mostly been undisturbed for weeks. “Anyways, He’s dead, so it's pointless to have his room still here.”

Makoto set the metal down where he found it. It was one of Sousuke’s countless graduation metals, most of which Rin had already hoarded away. Makoto smoothly swept next to Rin, sitting down with him.

“He’s not dead,” Makoto said carefully, “Trust me, they’d make it known if he was,” Makoto’s fingers found Rin’s hair, tying the long strands into careful braids. Rin figured he was probably crying, but he couldn't really tell. This was the first time Rin had shared this place with another after Sousuke was taken. He had been hoping Makoto wouldn’t figure who’s room this was, Rin thought he had collected anything that would give it away. Pictures, trophies, anything with Sousuke’s name, his shirts, mostly everything had been collected into boxes by Sei and gifted to Rin upon request. It would keep this visit detatched, let Rin move on from this so he could cry alone. But, the single trophy was left behind by mistake, forefronting everything and connecting Makoto to whatever information he had on Sousuke. He really wanted to avoid talking to Makoto about Sousuke. He didn't want to hear it, Rin wanted to move on and keep his sweet memories before he could really think about how much Sousuke was suffering.

_Wait. How did Makoto know that Rin and Sousuke had  something?_

Rin huffed, and he could hear the rattle in his throat, signalling a storm in the distance. “He’s not coming back, though.” Rin bit his lip as he spoke, trying to filter the emotion from his voice. He no longer hated Makoto and Haru for what happened. He couldn’t. The crave in Rin’s heart for revenge was replaced by coldness once he realized how brutally pointless it all was. Something as petty and stupid as revenge on the people he cared about tore him up on the insides, Haru’s screams for Makoto still echoing in Rin’s dreams.

“Don’t say that,” Makoto shushed, thumbing the neat braid he had made in Rin’s hair, it resembled a tight little rope, “He’s really strong. According to Nagisa he hasn’t given up any secrets.” Makoto smiled softly, and Rin considered that maybe Sousuke had seen the same smile once.

“How do you know him?” Was all Rin could really manage. What Rin meant was _How do you know us?_

“Sasabe would send me in to make sure his injuries weren’t too bad,” Makoto kept out the details, “We’d talk when I came in. He talked about you, but it wasn’t anything I didn't already know.” Rin realized Makoto had wrapped a arm around him, and that it had probably been a while there, “I saw you two kiss that night. I don’t remember a lot from that night, but I remember that.”

Rin hid his face in his hands, staring into the black void that shade provided. “I don’t wanna know,” Rin managed, “I can’t stand it that anyone's hurting him. I really don’t wanna know.”

Makoto fell silent, his arm curling further around Rin so Makoto could bring his body closer. His chest bumped against Rin’s shoulder, seeking comfort Rin couldn’t give, “I guess I kinda know how you feel. I mean, kinda...” Makoto didn't have to tell Rin he was talking about Haru, “I’m worried about everyone. I really wanna go back to Iwatobi.”

Rin couldn’t help but push. Sousuke’s brash nature was fresh in Rin’s mind.

“Why?” Rin hissed, “Why would you ever want to go back there?”

Makoto’s answer was simple. “It’s home.” Iwatobi was all Makoto knew.

Rin couldn’t argue. He pressed his hands to his temples, trying to block out any imagery of how Sousuke’s death might play out.

Makoto chewed on his lip with words he held himself back from saying, words Rin knew had to do with Sousuke, or maybe even Haru. Makoto couldn’t bare to say them, whatever they were, and he awkwardly bumped his head against Rin’s. He was practically demanding attention now- Rin could tell this was something Makoto did with Haru- he was probably expecting to be held or something because Makoto simply didn't know any better.

Makoto’s voice hung awkwardly now, confused on why Rin couldn't bare to comfort him. Hell, Rin didn't even know how to comfort him. “I thiink-” Makoto paused, thinking, “I think, everything will be fine, at some point.” Makoto was comforting himself now, making do with what he had. Rin tensed- yeah, things would be fine at some point. But things would never ,ever be the same. Rin had built his foundation with Sousuke in it, and now that Iwatobi had taken Sousuke out, Rin had to find a whole new way to build himself back up again.

Rin sniffled, the sound ugly as he whipped his face. Rin knew Makoto had no idea where to sort him. Makoto’s head was organized by comforts, and he had no idea where to even begin with Rin yet. Rin could feel Makoto’s stare on him, unsure whether he should be seeking comfort or giving it, and he possibly couldn’t understand that Rin just wanted to be left alone on the matter.

Sousuke was gone. Sousuke was dead. Sousuke was never coming home.

Rin stood, his sigh laced with a dying whimper as he stripped himself free of Makoto’s arms. “Help me pack up,” Rin demanded, but Makoto didn't budge. He just started on- cocking his head to the side like a confused, dumb animal. “Makoto,” Rin hissed, taking a empty box from the floor he had brought to thoughtlessly shove Sousuke’s things into.

“I don’t get it,” Makoto’s words were careful and everything Rin didn't want to hear, “You’re... You miss him, right?”

Rin looked over at Makoto, pressing his lips tight together in a final attempt to keep it together. The answer was a sob. A sob that wracked Rin’s body to his core, making his muscles crumble and his body drop to his knees. The first line of defense was to hide his face in his hands but it did little to stop it, his tears slipping through the cracks between his fingers and the sound so loud Rin was sure the entirety of Samezuka could hear it. Crying was something Rin had grown tired of after the third night of Sousuke’s capture, when his head hurt from dehydration and his body was left empty and raw- clawed out by sadness. And now, he was reduced back down into the same , helpless state, where the most he could do was scream in frustration.

Makoto’s arms found him eventually, and finally Rin could accept them for what they were.

Makoto held him, whispering comforts that were nothing more than soothing nonsense that made no sense in between Rin’s repeated thought of _I miss him._

Rin couldn’t bare to even move, even touch anything in that room besides the jacket. As soon as Rin even glanced at it, Makoto had already draped it over Rin’s shoulders- kissing Rin’s hairline and soothing him with the comforts of things Sousuke had possibly said.

“He loves you so much, Rin,” Makoto would whisper, patting Rin’s back to help the hiccups pass easier, “It’s gonna be okay, you’ll see him again.”

Rin didn't remember much else besides waking up the next morning in his room, A note in terrible handwriting left on the nightstand- presumably from Makoto, just judging on the sloppy scrawl alone.

_Hey Rin, I hope you slept well. Sei wanted to talk to me today, so I’ll see you around ! ~ Makoto_

 

A little heart was drawn on the bottom of the note, and Rin couldn’t help but admire all of it. Instead of hot revenge, maybe Makoto’s warm hands could help mend Rin’s broken body.

 

/ **  /

 

“I have no idea what we’re going to do with him,” Were the first words out of Sei’s mouth upon seeing him. Impatience was laced in his stare and Rin knew he was talking about Makoto. “He’s off, enjoying the spotlight somewhere in Samezuka right now while he flaunts that jacket like he’s proud of it.”

Other residents of Samezuka were quietly staring. Sei never left his office, and he certainly never came to the mess hall. Though, Rin could hardly beileve these people were still shocked over anyone being anywhere after having Makoto strutting down the halls. “Well, it’s all he’s never known,” Rin started, trying to find patience in his voice, “Sasabe treated Makoto like he was his own son when we were little. It’s going to be hard for him-”

“Rin, I know,” Sei’s voice was firm. Even though Sei had every right to interrupt Rin, it was still shocking when it came. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but everyone he talks to he tells them about Iwatobi. I’m worried about all the kids who he talks to,” Sei pressed his hand to his forehead. If anyone, Sei seemed most content on Makoto taking his time, so it was obvious he was serious about this, “We need to force it into him. I know you don’t beileve that trust me, I really don’t want to push him either, but we have to do something.” This kind of talk reminded Rin of the boring meetings he used to sit through, when he was relieved to let Sousuke do most of the talking. Though, this conversation certainly wasn’t boring, it made Rin’s heart tick in concern. The worry on Sei’s brow was clear. Sei normally never even brought up these things around Rin, never planned anything and simply only sent Rin out for missions that had been decided for him. It was almost like Sei was trying desperately to fit Rin into Sousuke’s space.

Sei sighed, the noise weighed with frustration, “I dont know.” He said, shaking his head. “But it’s dangerous to have him around like this. Anything could set him off.” Sei suddenly looked sad- “And I’m worried for his wellbeing to. I’m afraid if he keeps this up someone's going to hurt him.”

 _Shit._ Rin hadn’t even realized that. Someone could get sick of Makoto’s preaching, someone could get pissed with him for doing something Makoto didn't understand. The hatred for Iwatobi was so ripe here that it left the smell of gasoline and burning flesh in the confines of Samezuka. If the excitement of Makoto’s capture calmed down, and Makoto was still Iwatobi’s loyal dog, it was almost certain someone would hurt him in a act of revenge. And not only would Makoto be in danger, but it could change his outlook on everything. It could change his neutral outlook to something much more deadly. Rin pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose and thought.

“Maybe he’s so far gone, maybe he won’t even seize,” Sei whispered, “We know near to nothing about how they work anymore.”

“I’ve seen him do it,” Rin replied harshly, recalling that night, “The night of my party, before Sousuke got taken. I mean, I didn't technically see him, but I know he did.” Rin could remember everything. Seeing Makoto again in person for the first time was like a rush of childish excitement. Everything about him felt good and kind, and it felt right being able to hold him as he cried. Rin could even remember the twisted expression of regret and shock on Makoto’s face as Rin had succumbed to the force of a tranquilizer dart.

Rin had played Makoto’s emotions like a fiddle that night. He couldn’t bring himself to do it again, and he knew it wouldn't work right now anyways. That night Makoto was on a mission, probably stressed already, and he had seemed off in the first place. Here Makoto was content, happy, and he seemed so solid that his composure was unbreakable. Makoto’s emotions were the key to this. Makoto’s sympathy was the key to this.

Rin felt his body flinch with the strength his realization hit him with. “I know what to do,” Rin gasped out. Sei gave him a questioning glare, but Rin didn't think twice about it. “I’ll take him to Sano.”

Sei squinted his eyes for a moment. He paused, looking upwards into his own thoughts, glancing back down at his hands, and opening his mouth as if to speak. He closed it again- thinking some more- and smiled. “You really think it’ll work? You need security or anything?”

“Just a few tranqs and I’ll be good,” Rin said softly, “I trust Makoto. He knows better than to try running.” Rin felt a rush of determination course through him, inspiring him enough to push himself up from the table.

“Rin,” Sei’s voice was firm, and he too stood- catching Rin before he could sprint off- “I’m assigning you gaurds.”

“He doesn’t need guards,” Rin hissed back. Recently, without Sousuke being all buddy-buddy with Sei, getting through to Sei was a lot harder. Sei was Sousuke’s friend, but he was Rin’s commander. Standing up to Sei was hard, his presence was solid and his sharp, demanding glares could split Rin in half.

“I’m not saying he needs guards,” Sei firmed, “Iwatobi is on high alert for him. I don’t want them finding you and you not having backup of some kind.”

Rin huffed, finding himself unable to offer up any more of a argument.

He would take Makoto to Sano in the morning.

 

/ ** /

  


The ride to Sano was quiet, and Makoto pushed himself up against the window like an excited child. The sun caught in his hair, making it shine almost into a shade of light blonde, bleaching the mountains over the horizon with soft purples. His face was pressed against the window in wonder- Makoto had probably never seen this much wildlife before.

The old car jumped a skittered over bumps in the steadily breaking dirt road. The military truck behind them hummed, but Makoto hadnt really questioned their presence at all yet. The only thing he questioned was _Where are we going?_ And _Where did all these trees come from?_

“Have you ever heard of Sano, Makoto?” Rin asked mindlessly as they curved around a mountain, starting the descent downwards. Makoto bit his lip and nodded cautiously.

“Yeah, those are... It’s a town where poor people live because they can’t afford the city?” Makoto’s voice sounded more like a question than a answer.

“Mhm,” Rin replied, relieved Makoto at least knew about it, “I want you to meet a friend of mine.”

Sano was a quiet town sectioned off from the rest of the island. Iwatobi left it mostly alone, but that was the main problem. It was always alone. The food was home grown mostly, and their supplies were those that they had stolen, found, or otherwise. Iwatobi would take yearly visits to keep the town in check, and by ‘in check’, they meant destroy everything they thought was too good or high functioning for the little town. The residents were considered less, and with their little contact to the outside world Iwatobi was able to treat them as less without fearing social relapse.

Though, the air was always fresh here. Untouched by the poisons of factories and hatred. Iwatobi sat miles and miles away, and though their presence was constantly hovering, it was nice to smell the distance of clean ocean air.

Rin parked the car on a tiny sideroad. He managed to grab his tranq without Makoto noticing and sliding the gun into his pocket. _Just incase._ The other two officers parked some space behind, but stayed in their car- Rin didn't need to ask them what they were doing. The only way into Sano besides helicopter was through that road. Rin doubted Iwatobi would find them here, since the trip to Sano was just through a bunch of barely used back roads and there were security cameras within miles of this place.

Rin spotted the other redhead as soon as he lead Makoto up to the gates.

“Ah! Rin,” Kisumi pushed himself off an old broken ledge that once formed the complete gate to Sano, and he held out his arms with a calm roll of his body- “You’re here!”

Rin let Kisumi know he was coming before hand . He couldn’t just bring Makoto into Sano without telling anybody. That would cause mass panic... Rin met Kisumi’s arms in a brief hug, the slightly taller male’s chin bumping on Rin’s temple.

“Hey,” Rin greeted, almost awkwardly. No Matter how well Rin knew Kisumi, he always had to adjust to him. Rin pulled away as fast as he could, a nervous laugh on his lips as he gestured to Makoto. Who, right now,  was following a small fluttering bird around with his eyes. “Makoto!” Rin called sharply, cutting Makoto’s attention on the bird, “This is the friend I was telling you about in the car.”

Rin sighed upon seeing Kisumi’s typical comfort with everything and everyone he came in contact with. He pursed his lips, offering out a hand.

Makoto was more scared of Kisumi than Kisumi was at Makoto. That said a lot. Makoto crept forward, clearing his throat and fixing his collar, his shadow covering Kisumi’s confident figure in blackness. Makoto bit his lip as he shook Kisumi’s hand, the corners of Kisumi’s lips twitching into a smile.

“It’s really nice to meet you,” Kisumi , despite not respecting anyone's personal space could be surprisingly polite. Rin figured Kisumi was smarter than he put himself out to be, he was a sly bastard who understood every single social cue but played it dumb so he could grab a few hugs and questionable touches. “You’re a lot bigger in person!” Kisumi piped happily, “As big as Sousuke, I’d say.” Makoto laughed nervously, nodding.

“It’s um, nice to meet you too,” Makoto said, his voice finding it’s firmness, “Kisumi, right?”

Kisumi nodded happily at the sound of his own name. “Speaking of Sousuke,” Kisumi started, “Where is he? Did he not come with you guys?” Kisumi peaked around Makoto’s wall of a body, and Rin felt his heart sank.

Oh god, he hadn’t seen Kisumi ever since then.  The last time Kisumi and Rin had seen each other was on Rin’s birthday, and Rin figured Kisumi was ushered out right afterward without anyone telling him what was going on. He was the only person there who wasn’t part of Samezuka, of course no one told him, they figured everyone already knew. But god, Rin couldn’t tell him. Not right now, anyways, not when his main priority was Makoto- not when said main priority was now giving him a look of utmost concern.

“He’s not here,” Rin answered roughly, “I’ll tell you about it later.” Rin tried to pass it as the most casual thing on the planet, but Kisumi gave him a look that told him he knew otherwise, “Why don’t we show Makoto around?” Kisumi agreed with a pliant nod thankfully, his smile finding his face again.

“You spread the word that he’s coming, right?” Rin asked, and Kisumi hummed a ‘mhmm’ under his breath. Pushing past the front gates, Rin, Makoto and Kisumi made their way through the thin veil of trees that surrounded Sano.

Sano was mostly built of wooden houses and hard-packed soil. During the morning, it was occupied with citizens doing yard work and hanging clotheslines, and the bustle of children who had been sent outside to vent out their hyper bodies. The sound of distant ocean waves filled the air, letting on that this place was more magical than it seemed. The roofs of ages old homes curled up with the forces of weather and the homes themselves threatened to buckle under the pressure.

Rin knew Makoto had never seen anything like this before. Makoto was used to seeing cities, he was used to steel structures, clean streets and polluted skies. Walking through the town, Rin fell back to be at Makoto’s side- watching the way his eyes carefully surveyed everything, taking it all in.

“This place is really different,” Makoto whispered, confirming Rin’s suspicions, “Weird.”

“Mh,” Rin snorted in agreement, watching as children froze in their playing and retreated back into their homes, leaving Sano to an eerie silence. Makoto gulped, and Rin managed to look away before he could see any form of emotion on Makoto’s face.

Kisumi sprang forward, clearly making the drive towards his house. “Mom’s making breakfast, I hope you two haven't eaten yet!” He chirped, skipping in his steps.

The amount of fear on the children’s faces, most of them separated and hiding on their own broken down porches, was one that Rin couldn’t fathom to have felt towards himself. Makoto’s head was ducked down, safely looking at the dirt that wouldn’t judge him.

Rin felt himself brush Makoto’s shoulder supportively, and Makoto only flinched under the friendly touch.

The steps up to Kisumi’s house were soon under their feet. Kisumi’s home resembled more of a broken-down shack-same as all the other homes- and was worn with the force of rain and neglect. Makoto’s big frame could hardly fit through the door, and Makoto nervously glanced at Rin to check for any signs of laughter before squeezing his big shoulders tight to his body to make it inside the tiny, misshapen doorframe.

Once inside, the whole house was basically in sight. All besides three rooms- which had the doors closed- Kisumi’s entire home was made up of a kitchen, and a table off to the side. The whole place was covered in dust and shaded in wear of brown hues, including the woman who stood over a burning pot. Her hair was nearly pink in tone, just like Kisumi’s, her strawberry blonde hair falling in waves over her entire back and almost concealing her entire frame and making her look more like a very soft mop. She creaked forward, before glancing her tired eyes over her shoulder. She looked bored, or maybe, just slightly uncomfortable with Makoto being here. Her smile was tired and she waved with her free hand.

“Good morning,” She called softly, meeting Rin’s eyes first. Rin could sense the familiarity they shared, but when she looked at Makoto something changed. Makoto could sense it too, he drew closer to Rin, grasping lightly onto his shoulders for comfort.

She parted from her cooking, wobbling across the creaking floorboards to offer a hand out to Makoto. “Hi,” She greeted, cocking her head to the side to even hope to get a look up at Makoto’s tall figure, “I’m Kisumi’s mom.” The two looked equally as worried as each other, their hands meeting in a awkward greeting.

Soon Mrs Shigino was pulling away, her smile soft as she gently touched the old braids in Rin’s hair- braids he hadn’t yet to take out from the night that Makoto had made them. She laughed, sweet and lofty in her throat, “When did you start doing your hair?” She asked, and Rin snorted out another gentle laugh to accompany hers.

“Makoto did them,” Rin replied, Makoto was so close that Rin was able to playfully jab his side with his elbow, “He’s pretty good at hair stuff.”

“I mean,” Makoto whispered, Rin could see his clear efforts to push past the awkwardness, “I used to have longer hair a few years ago,” Makoto’s hands tangled inside themselves as if he was trying to recreate the feeling.

“I would love to see that,” Kisumi chimed playfully while busying himself with setting plates on the table, and Rin found a smile on Makoto’s face, “Ya know, Makoto, we didn't really know what you looked like up until now! I mean, we know enough, but I didn't expect you to be this big!” Kisumi arranged the old forks and plates like it was an art on the table, “Rin used to show us all pictures of you guys. Though, you’ve all gotten a lot of bigger since than.” Kisumi flashed a smile before returning to the task at hand.

“Breakfast won’t be done for a while longer,” Mrs Shigino said in a sigh, returning back towards her cooking- “Why don’t you both go do something by the beach? I’ll have Kisumi get you when it’s done.”

Kisumi whined something like ; “What, I can’t go?”, his mom silencing him with a stern stare.

“Yeah, sure,” Rin replied, half-glancing at Makoto for some sort of reaction even though he knew Makoto was pretty much up for anything at this point. Taking Makoto by the wrist, Rin lead him outside, back down the creaky front steps.

Ignoring the town completely, Rin looped around Kisumi’s house, trailing up the small hill that lead to the ocean. Grass faded into sand, and once they were over the hump of the hill, Rin felt Makoto freeze in his tracks, making both of them lurch.

Rin didn't have to ask Makoto what was up. “Woah,” Makoto gasped under his breath- “That’s a whole lot of water.”

Though Japan was a island after all, Iwatobi was situated in the middle of everything. Farthest from the beach, farthest from the storms that once destroyed civilization in the first place. People only really referred to that happening as ‘those big storms’, or something along those lines. Big waves rose up from the ocean and battered everything in their wake, and a harsh wind only carried it further, drowning people and destroying every hope that their was to ever leading a life that had been known before. The ocean was the cause of it all, harsh ,salty winds that were whipped up by its spinning currents, the grab of its darkness dragging people and rubble back into it’s inescapable depths.

Today, though, it was peaceful. The wind still rushed around them, the ocean tinging the air with a chill. It was content today.

Makoto lowered his head, submissive to a body that was infinitely larger than his own. Creeping forward, Makoto’s boot sunk into the sand with how long each careful step lingered. “This is the ocean?” Makoto asked softly, the ocean stealing all of his attention like it was trying to lure him in, lure him in to stay with the millions of undiscovered dead bodies that were trapped on the ocean floor.

“Yeah,” Rin replied, “Bigger than you thought, huh?” Rin smiled. The ocean was really amazing, in its own special way. It was a rare sight now, all the cities Rin would travel to, and even Samezuka itself had been pushed inward, fearful of the oceans lingering presence.

“Yeah,” Makoto’s voice was merely a whisper, “Can I,” Makoto squinted- “Can I touch it?”

“It’s just water,” Rin laughed, jogging forward so that loose sand kicked up around his feet, “C’mon, I’ll show you,” Rin beckoned a hand, Makoto finding his brave face as he followed.

Rin hiked up his pants, cuffing them around his kneecaps and losing his shoes so the water would have less to hold onto. Makoto got the idea, doing the same and leaving his boots discarded in the sand.

Rin secured a grasp on his wrist so Makoto couldn’t run away, and they shared a brief laugh before Rin dragged him in.

Though, Rin forgot Makoto was a lot stronger than him, so the grip on his wrist wasn’t changing much. When Makoto stopped, Rin would stop. Makoto’s first stop was when the current simply tickled the edges of his bare feet, and Makoto watched the water reach up towards the sand and then quickly retract backwards, leaving only foam in its wake. “It’s cold,” He giggled, looking up from his feet and at Rin.

“Yeah,” Rin agreed, “It’s not so bad once you get used to it.” That was enough of  argument for Makoto to push forward, pushing through the water’s gentle current. Rin was already up to his ankles, and Makoto was right, it was damn cold.

“Haru would love this,” Rin heard Makoto whispered under his breath, and possibly the thought of Haru brought Makoto’s eyes from empty with awkward anxiety, to filled with joy. His expression swelled with excitement and he took strong strides forward, marching up to his hips.

“Ooh, someone's getting brave!” Rin laughed, Makoto looking back at him with the biggest smile. _Oh god he was absolutely adorable right now, in the most innocent way._

Chasing after Makoto, Rin pushed through the water, sloshing it around him and cutting the gentle current. Suddenly, Makoto leaped three feet into the air with a sharp yipe, nearly tumbling back over Rin.

“Something touched my foot!” He cried in explanation, “It was slimy!”

Rin curiously shuffled to where Makoto had stepped, soon spotting the culprit. He yanked it from the sand, holding it out of the water. “Did the plant bite you too hard?” Rin teased, shaking the clump of seaweed. Makoto pressed his hand to his mouth in an attempt to stifle his laughter, his cheeks that puffed with suppressed laughter going red.

Rin chucked the piece of slimy seaweed as far as he could, and it splashed somewhere in the distance, “There, it won’t bug ya anymore,” Rin teased, slapping his hands together. Makoto touched his shoulder in thanks.

“Thanks Rin,” Makoto’s tone was joking, but his hand lingered there as if it were serious.

Makoto’s hand swept away, and Rin’s heart fluttered with excitement.

“There's so much water,” Makoto pushed ahead, “I can’t even see the other side.” Makoto’s thick hair whipped around him as the breeze carded its way through it, the sea treated Makoto gently because it knew he was good.

“It’s pretty cool,” Rin replied, “The ocean makes up most of our world, did you know that?”

Makoto nodded carefully. “I knew that, but I didn't think the world was so big.” Makoto’s voice fluttered with what could’ve been hope, “All I’ve even known is Iwatobi and the cities outside it.”

Rin found himself leaning on Makoto, pressing his hand to his shoulder. Makoto’s face was lose, though, clearly he was thinking. He was in gentle appreciation for the sight before him. “There's a lot beyond us. Even Japan is really small when you think about it.”

Makoto closed his eyes, his inhale so deep Rin felt it resonate inside him, filling his core with blue skies and salty air “Yeah,” Makoto breathed on his exhale, his eyes fluttering open.

Makoto’s eyes flickered over to Rin, and Rin didn't mind looking back into them. “Thank you,” Makoto whispered.

The words didn't strike any confusion within Rin, but he felt although he should ask. “For what?”

Makoto breathed again, his shoulders rolling back, “For showing me all this. I’ve... I’ve really had a fun time in Samezuka. It’s nice.” Makoto looked back out onto the ocean, simply admiring the way nothing but water appeared in the horizon line, leaving a world of opportunities for what was out there. “I’ve really missed you, Rin. I don’t really think I gave myself a moment to really linger on how much I missed you.”

Happiness tingled in Rin’s stomach at Makoto’s words. All he could manage was an embarrassed laugh, sweeping his head away. “What?” Makoto laughed back, and Rin only managed a few more laughs. Either it was laughing or crying, and he sure prefered laughing.

“I’ve missed you too,” Rin chuckled, stepping right back up against Makoto, tackling the emotion head-on, “I’ve missed all of you guys, really.”

“We were a family,” Makoto mused, his tone much too happy for what he was saying.

“We still are,” Rin reassured, “We’re just in different places.”

Makoto nodded, liking that conclusion, “Yeah,” He whispered. Suddenly, Makoto was turning, heading back towards shore, “My feet are going numb,” He explained, jumping back towards shore. Rin followed close behind, waddling his way through the water with his wet slacks.

Rin collapsed into the sand, sitting in a heap of dry dirt and crossing his legs. The sun was bright today, and despite it being cold, just laying in sunshine and warm sand felt nice. Even the cold chill brought some sort of a interestingly comfortable mix of temperatures over Rin’s body. Wrapping himself up in the feeling, Rin reclined into the dry sand, resting his head atop his arms, letting his pants dry.

Makoto’s shuffling became more apparent as the minutes passed, and Rin let up and had to see what Makoto was doing. Sitting up, Rin took a curious glance at him. Judging on Makoto’s handful of shells, he was collecting them.

“What are you doing?” Rin called, and Makoto looked over at him, wide-eyed.

“I think Haru will like these,” Makoto replied, “I’m going to give them to him when I see him.” That response was so simple, so worry-free, Rin wondered how Makoto could be so sure he was even going to see Haru again. Makoto was marching back over, sitting down right next to Rin as he splayed out his findings, tossing the shells that were chipped.

Rin found his voice after a few moments of calm silence. “Hey,” He started, grabbing Makoto’s attention at first, “Did you really mean that I’ll see Sousuke again?” Rin’s voice was as fragile as its contents.

“Of course,” Makoto gasped, nearly offended, “Well, you could always try to see him again.”

Rin huffed, sitting up, “Ever since Sousuke got captured Sei went on full lock down. Most of the laws about outside activity have been heightened, and he always makes me go out with guards now-”

“I think you should still try,” Makoto interrupted. “Sorry,” He immediately apologised, his tone gentle. It was easy to follow, as if he were scared he would break Rin. Makoto handled him with care. “He wasn't giving up on you, so I don’t think you should give up on him either.” Makoto’s eyebrows furrowed, and his fingers buried themselves into the dirt.

Rin managed a huff. He couldn’t cry, not now. No more crying. Makoto was right though, Rin knew he couldn’t give up on Sousuke even if he wished he could. Makoto was tossing fuel right into his fire. “You’re right,” Rin squeezed himself past his need to cry, taking a breath to steady himself, “I’ll try.”

“We’re both missing someone,” Makoto touched his shoulder again, and it lingered there gently, leading Rin to a safer place, “So we can try to get through this together.”

The tender silence was broken by the sound of rushing feet behind them. Kisumi’s grinning face popped over the side of the hill, “Food’s ready!” He chimed, and Makoto took a moment to take Rin’s tiny  shoulder bag and slide his shells into it.

“Hold these for me?” Makoto asked, completely ignoring the very obvious tranq. Rin’s heart skipped a beat, but Makoto really didn't seem to care.

“S-sure,” Rin answered, but Makoto was already half way up the hill, marching up to meet Kisumi. Rin chased after him, slipping down the hill somewhat because his legs felt like jelly and his heart was in his throat. He swallowed it back down once Kisumi’s house was in sight.

The house smelt like eggs and cheese now, and Rin melted into his seat at the table, ready to shovel eggs into his mouth. Sure, Samezuka had good food, but knowing how fresh this food was really made his heart pound with the excitement of eating something so natural. Rin already had the fork half way into his mouth before Mrs Shigino’s sharp tut stopped him.

“Wait for everyone,” She scolded tiredly, running a hand over Rin’s hair as she passed him. Makoto shifted into the chair next to Rin, trying to find a comfortable position on the hard wooden seat, before giving up with a sigh.

“I’ll bring food to Hayato,” Kisumi said quickly, ducking into one of the closed rooms with a plate of food in his hands.

Rin answered Makoto’s question before he had time to even ask it, “Hayato’s Kisumi’s little brother. He’s really sick, so he mostly just stays in bed.” Makoto frowned at that.

“Oh,” Makoto whispered, “What does he have?”

“Some sort of breathing disease,” Rin answered, “We’re waiting it out, after Iwatobi stops by for their annual roll call we’re going to bring him out to Samezuka so he can get good medical attention.” Makoto opened his mouth, and Rin was already shoving the question he was about to say back in, “Everyone needs to be present for roll call or else Iwatobi will probably hurt another family.”

Makoto sunk back down in his seat, eyes wandering downwards. “Oh,” He said again, and Rin patted his back supportingly for some reason. Rin had no idea why he was, he was supposed to be showing Makoto the cold truth right now, but he still felt the need to comfort him.

Kisumi came back shortly after, taking his own seat next to his mother. “Thanks for the food,” Kisumi chirped quietly to someone, either his mother or some other higher force.

The food was always good here. There was something about knowing how fresh it was that really got to Rin, the stuff warming his stomach with every bite. He sighed- “Thank you for the food,” He addressed Kisumi’s mom head on this time, “It’s really good.”

“Mhm!” Makoto hummed in agreement, and Rin noticed Makoto was almost halfway done with his breakfast despite it only having been a minute, “Thank you.”

Mrs Shigino smiled, a kind of smile that was tired but genuine, “Your welcome.” Eating was rather silent, until Mrs Shigino spoke up again, her voice frail, “Where's Sousuke, Rin? He’s normally the one who brings you.”

Rin knew he had to tell them, but the question still brought the food he had just ate back up into his throat. Makoto’s gentle, supportive touch on his shoulder helped Rin to force it back down. Rin could still remember Sousuke driving him up here, no guards following them, just him and Sousuke trekking up the forest in the cold morning, in either one of the cars or Sousuke’s old motorcycle. They’d spend their hours on the beach, sometimes with Kisumi, sometimes without him.  It was a nice break from the coldness the fight between Samezuka and Iwatobi created.

Rin took a breath. “You know, my birthday, right? Where you guys had to leave?”

Kisumi and his mother immediately grew suspicious. The same fox-like intrigue found their eyes. Rin took it as permission to continue, Makoto’s grip tense on his shoulder, “There was, I um,” Rin tried to find words but instead he found the simplest explanation he could, “Sousuke was taken by Iwatobi.”

There was a long silence. Kisumi and Sousuke had been close friends since they were toddlers, when Sousuke’s dad would drive him down to Sano. The Yamazaki family had always been there for Sano, and as short as that time had been the devastation on Kisumi’s face was clear.

“You mean,” Kisumi’s voice shook, “He’s a prisoner there?”

Rin ducked his head down, biting his lip, “Yeah.”

There was a long moment of silence. As if this were a funeral, Kisumi and his mother bowed their heads and halted with whatever else they were doing.

Kisumi broke the silence with hate- “Iwatobi takes everything,” He whispered, “They’re never satisfied.” It was Makoto’s turn to lean back. Even if he had only known Kisumi for a few minutes, it was obvious the mention of Iwatobi dragged his hatred out from beneath layers upon layers of happiness. Kisumi was a positive boy, someone who didn't speak badly of others- but the very thought of the government made him shake in rage.

“He’s not dead,” Rin firmed, trying to bring something positive into the home. Kisumi and his mother had lost so much. They had lost their home countless times from storms, Kisumi’s mother lost her wife and Kisumi lost his mother, and now they were losing Hayato, all because of Iwatobi. Rin needed to give them something to hold onto. “Makoto told me he hasn’t given up any information yet.” Rin nudged Makoto, who had forced himself so far back into the chair the back of it threatened to snap, “We’re going to get him back, right?”

Makoto paused, before nodding, “Yeah.” He blinked, squinting hard, as if snapping himself out of something.

Maybe he _was_ snapping himself out of something.

Kisumi bit his lip, thinking hard, “I hope so.” His mother nodded in return, gripping her son’s hand.

As if on cue, the door at the end of the hall creaked open, and a voice that resembled that noise crept out. “K-ii-sumi? Mom?”

Rin hadn’t seen him in a while. Not since his last visit, which was before his birthday. Hayato looked worse- he was a child of at least seven and his babyfat still clung to his cheeks, his eyes stunningly blue and his hair the same pinkish tone as the rest of his families’. But, His eyes were sunken, red and sickly, his shirtless body thin and his fingertips grey with illness. He squinted- his fingers still curled around his doorframe to keep him upright- “Whos that?” He whispered, looking straight at Makoto’s stiff form.

“I’ll get him,” Kisumi hushed in a hurry, nearly leaping out of his seat. He quickly paced across the floor, scooping up his brother quickly, “Back to bed,” He whispered, nuzzling his brother’s hair as if he did not care if he got sick or not.

“Who is that?” Hayato repeated under his breath, almost asleep as Kisumi walked him back into his room.

Kisumi came back shortly after, a certain kind of sadness in his eyes that Rin hadn’t seen in awhile. Rin remembered when Hayato was healthy. Kisumi would carry him around on the beach, and the two brothers would find shells together. Hayato treated Sousuke like an older brother, demanding piggyback rides.

_“I can see everything from up here!” Hayato would joke, but yet his voice sounded ridiculously sincere, “I think I can see another island! Waay out there,” He would point, point so far he’d almost fall over and Sousuke would sway to the side so he wouldn't, laughing quietly under his breath at the imagination of a small child._

“Hayato’s not getting any better, huh?” Rin asked, keeping his voice gentle as to not shatter the fragile look in Kisumi’s eyes. He wished this conversation hadn’t taken such a turn, but yet, from the look on Makoto’s face something was going on behind his eyes.

“He’s been getting worse,” Kisumi mumbled, “Ma needs to hold him at night now to make sure he doesn’t stop breathing.” Kisumi spread out his hands over the table, his once flawless skin covered in pink blisters. Rin hadn’t noticed them. “I have to do a lot of the housework now. I don’t mind, of course, but balancing the garden and the livestock and keeping the house clean, it’s a lot.”

Rin lost his focus on Makoto. This conversation was something personal. “Once Iwatobi does roll call, we’ll get you out to Samezuka, and we’ll take care of him. You guys just have to hold out a little longer.” Rin tried to keep his voice firm but it was falling apart. He hated seeing these two so sad. Mrs Shigino couldn’t even fully process Hayato’s impending doom at the moment, still caught up in the idea of Sousuke’s loss. God, he hated this, he almost regretted telling them where Sousuke was in the first place. He should’ve just lied and saved this for a different time.

“Iwatobi takes everything,” She whispered, the cracks in her old, abused heart striking her voice, “And when you find a way to live, find comfort in each other, Iwatobi takes that too.”

Makoto’s voice crept in like the whistle of a teapot. Airy, soft, and Rin hardly heard what he had said. But, when Rin looked over, it was clear.

“Tranq me,” The words still danced off his tongue. Makoto glanced back at Rin, a steady stream of blood starting the descent down his face.

Rin didn't hesitate. The tranq was out of his bag in seconds, the shot clean and sharp, right into Makoto’s neck. He didn’t fight it, his body swayed to one side, toppling onto the ground. Kisumi let out a loud yelp at the sudden action, the room as stiff as Rin’s muscles.

The next few minutes were those of Rin dragging Makoto out, his body heavy and limp. It _was_ possible to get him to seize.

Apologies left Rin’s mouth over and over as he pulled Makoto out of the Shigino household, apologies that held all the sympathy he had for Kisumi’s tiny family within them.

“I promise everything will be okay,” Were Rin’s last few words to them before he left, and Kisumi could only lie to him with a smile.

 

/ ** /

 

The sound of distant screaming kept Rin up at night now. He knew he was just hearing things, Rin swore he was going crazy, but it sounded so real. His mind was crafting the perfect torture and it was of Makoto’s distant suffering.

Ai regulated his schedule to match Rin’s again now that Makoto was in hospital. Ai was... Always nice company. He was quiet, and talking didn't feel as complicated. But Ai’s presence was always loving, and Rin loved him right back. The restless nights, which had been three by now, were driving Rin to something that resembled insanity. Ai kept his company soft, and he made sure not to talk about anything serious. It wasn't because Ai was ignoring any of the many matters at hand, but he was simply doing it for Rin’s sake.

By the fourth night, Rin swore he could hear Sousuke screaming too. Rin didn't really know anymore, he just tried to bury whatever pain in his jacket.

That was enough. Exhausted, and unable to put more than a half of a pancake in his stomach, Rin proposed that Ai should come with him to see Makoto.

The hospital was normally loving, but right now they were all in a frenzy of what to do with the boy who screamed until they put him under again. Rin could hear his muffled yells upon entering the hospital, the only thing keeping him on track was Ai moving him forward.

 _Are you sure you want to do this?_ Ai signed, looking back at Rin, _Because you don’t need to push it._

“I want him better,” Rin breathed, “Maybe seeing a familiar face will help him.” Ai nodded, and his hand found Rin’s, holding it softly. “Also, Sei told me to check on him and report how he’s doing.” Rin smiled weakly, and Ai returned the look. Getting the attention of a nurse, she reluctantly lead Rin to Makoto’s room.

Makoto’s hands were tied to the bedpost, and there wasn’t a single item that wasn't nailed to the floor or locked up in a drawer in his room. The portion of his face that wasn’t stained with blood was wet with tears, his lips drawn in a sharp grimace and his jaws tight. The thick smell of blood and sweat hit Rin like a nauseating wave, his body cringing in protest at the metallic smell.

“Rin,” Makoto gasped immediately upon seeing him, his eyes bloodshot. He sounded more crazy than Rin felt. His voice was a hoarse whisper- “Kill me,” The words spilled out of his mouth like meaningless babble, as if the consequences of death did not matter to him now. Makoto thought it was right to repeat those two words over and over again, proving that he was entirely past any sort of reasoning.

Rin knew from his experience pain killers weren't possible for this. Makoto had to mentally work his brain around all the blocks, and drugs would only disorientate him. The only clear memory Rin had from that time was his own pounding headache, the headache being scorching and awful and his whole body shaking and tense. The headache was the match and the rest of his body was the fuse.

Makoto arched his back, trying to pull free from the cuffs- “Kill me!” He screamed it this time, his body tensing, and it forced Rin into a state of action. Though, Ai was the first to respond.

Ai was trained for medical, he knew this stuff. Rin watched as Ai, though staying a close distance away, fished out his own set of keys from his pocket and pushed one into a drawer. He carefully sorted through each one until he found what he was looking for. Ai’s hands picked out a pack, and presuming on the blue tint of it, it was an icepack.

“Shh,” Ai whispered, smoothing his hand over Makoto’s bangs in a weak attempt to calm him, before pressing the ice to pack to his forehead. Makoto hissed at the cold press, trying to wiggle away, but he couldn't go very far. Ai looked back, a certain kind of mastery and calamity in his eyes as if he knew what he was doing, and beckoned Rin closer.

Since Ai’s hands were busy, he simply mouthed ‘sit with him,’ to the best of his ability, taking his hands off the ice pack so he could replace them with Rin’s.

 _Try talking to him,_ Ai signed, _Take his mind off the headache._ Rin knew that Iwatobi programmed this headache to be so bad for Makoto to act so irrational. It was some shut down mode to escape the pain of the headache, and the only escape happened to be death. The panic was sharp, Makoto’s arms were tense and Rin was honestly afraid to even be near him whilst he was in this state of primal fear. His eyes did not curve with their normal kindness and were instead wide in fear, pain was the only thing behind him. Fuck, taking Makoto’s mind off it would be impossible.

Ai was going through more things while Rin wrestled with Makoto, trying to keep the pack on. “Rin, please,” He whined through grit teeth, “Kill me.” Tears were swelling in his eyes, though, they were only the first of many. His cheeks were red from the previous burn marks old tears had left. Behind the animalistic rage, Rin could see Makoto’s thoughts were curled with questions, his misery and confusion clear, woven in a illustration of the dying forests of his eyes.

Rationing with Makoto was definitely not going to happen right now. “Shh,” Rin’s voice sounded more stressed than he wanted it too, “It’s okay.” Ai came over only to exchange the gauze covering his nose with new, clean ones- the old ones soaked in thick blood.

 _I’m going to get a coffee, I’ll be right back._ Ai signed, and when Rin whined in reply he was glad Ai couldn’t hear how pathetic it was.

“What do you mean?” Rin snapped, and Ai rolled his eyes, “Not everyone’s a medical genius, you know!”

 _Caffeine helps with migraines,_ Ai signed, his final message before running out of the room. Rin huffed, looking back at Makoto who was _snarling_ at him. Teeth bared, lips curled, he looked like a growling dog.

“Don’t give me that look,” Rin grumbled, “Just calm down.”

Makoto pulled hard on his restraints in response. Rin’s heart leapt, his body trying to keep pace with it which only caused him to fall backwards. The cuffs clacked angrily as Makoto screamed in protest, relaxing against the bed with a heavy huff. Yeah, he definitely wasn’t calming down. Honestly, Rin wished he took Haru too, the only person who could possibly know what to do in this situation happened to be Haru. For not only Makoto’s sanity, but Rin’s own. _God, Rin could still remember the way Haru screamed for Makoto._ While the memory of Sousuke’s voice played like a distorted game of telephone in his head, Rin could remember Haru’s screams so _clearly._

Something about Makoto reminded Rin of Sousuke. Maybe it was his size or the genuine care that was in his eyes all the time- but Rin couldn’t help but imagine Sousuke someone, in pain and hurt like this. That, and Makoto was Rin’s friend. He hated seeing him like this, it was hard seeing anyone in pain. It turned his gut the wrong way, twisting it and bending his mindset with dread and hopelessness.

Ai came back with the coffee, he had ran there- evident by his harsh breathing. He paused, mid step, and thought hard about something.

 _How are we gonna get him to drink it?_ Ai signed. Oh yeah. Rin crumpled into his hands, but when he heard Ai shuffling around the room, he figured Ai had found the answer. A rounded, plastic syringe that he was pouring the coffee into caught Rin’s eye.

“Can you hit me up with some of that,” Rin joked, managing a smile on Ai’s face.

Ai was a fragile boy. Porcelain skin, big blue eyes, so it was a surprise to see him grip Makoto’s face and shove a syringe into his mouth. He seemed unafraid of Makoto’s crushing grip, at least at the moment, and quickly pushed the drink down with the handle on the syringe.  Makoto gagged, gasping for air after swallowing.

“It’ll make you feel better,” Rin tried to murmur, standing back up to run a hand through his sweat-slicked hair, “I promise.” Ai repeated the process, gentler this time- Makoto’s body no longer struggling, but his muscles were still tense in fear , or pain, or anger- maybe all three.

Makoto was going quiet after a while. No more screams, only his ragged breath filling the empty hospital room. The room smelt of the tang of blood and desperation. Makoto’s jaws would clench every few moments, his whole body clenching with pain before releasing again. His eyes, danced just below his eyelids, in  struggling battle between sleep and consciousness. From what green Rin could catch in his eyes, they were pleading- pleading like a sick dog that didn't know what to do with itself, and it was looking to its owner for guidance.

Eventually, his headache allowed him to sleep. Rin watched him jolt restlessly in his slumber, his muscles tightening, the chain clinking together every time Makoto pulled at it- but his eyes stayed shut. Whatever sleep Makoto had gotten over the past few days had been restless, the deep purple marks under his eyes clear indicators.

Rin found the time to sit with Makoto every day. And, every day got better. He’d scream less, and the cotton in his nose had to be exchanged less, and he eventually even stopped begging to die. Instead of all that, Makoto spent most of his time sleeping and Rin didn't blame him.

Makoto was easy to ration with, even when he was half-asleep and contemplating everything he had ever known. Now that his hands were untied from the bedpost, he’d look at them nearly all day, as if questioning their purpose. Questioning his own purpose.

“Sasabe would read to us,” He said one day, gnawing on his lips. Sei, who happened to also be snooping around his room, Makoto kept a close eye on. As if Makoto was afraid of authority for the first time in his life. “When we were little, he’d read us stories, like he was our dad.”

“I remember,” Rin whispered, gripping Makoto’s wrist, “He really had us good.”

“He did,” A laugh danced on Makoto’s breath. Rin was relieved to hear it. “I still don’t really even know what to think.”

Makoto was silent about most of his opinions right now but he made it clear what side he was on. He was safe. They were safe.

 

/ **  /

 

They met the afternoon that Makoto was released from the hospital. He was showered, finally clean- he had even taken the effort to shave the small amount of stubble that had grown on his face while he was in the hospital. His borrowed clothes fit him well, a simple black top and jeans. But the real topper was the black jacket he wore, the white lines streaking down the sleeves with familiar red slashes along it. To see Makoto in that jacket- _the jacket_ \- It was like Rin was living in some crazy fantasy.

The tea house was always warm, and Rin would normally take a moment to give it a good stare before walking in, but it was urgent to protect Makoto from Iwatobi guards that kept lookout around the city, so he quickly pushed Makoto inside.

Makoto was looking around curiously as if he was having deja vu or something. Before Rin could ask him what the weird face was about, Makoto took a sharp inhale- “Pumpkin,” He whispered, as if he had discovered sliced bread, “Sousuke told me about this place.”

Sousuke loved it here. Loved everything from its wooden decore- a sharp contrast to Iwatobi’s normally cold interior design- , to the smell of the place, and to the food and teas they served. Of course he had spoken about it. It felt weird to be here without him. Sousuke’s favorite tea was this bitter garbage that he loved with all his heart, some kind of white tea that he drank as if was the only thing keeping alive. Rin thought it was nasty, there was nothing valuable about the bitter drink. But, when he noticed it on the menu, Rin was almost tempted to get it. Just for the sake of a memory.

“How does this work?” Makoto questioned, shuffling his feet nervously, “Don’t I need money or something? I don’t even know what to get, I hardly even get to drink tea...”

“Relax,” Rin huffed, “I’ll pay for you,” Rin was getting his wallet out at the mention of money, “You like sweet stuff, right? I’ll get you something sweet.” Makoto bit his lip and nodded hesitantly, attempting to hide his huge body behind Rin’s as Rin ordered.

After they sat, Makoto glared out the window, puzzled. Gnawing at his lips. Before Rin could dare to ask what was on his mind, Makoto was speaking, “It doesn't make sense. How am I even able to be out here right now? Won’t they catch us?”

Rin shrugged. It had been the same for Rin when he escaped. Being outside, in the city.. Iwatobi was never able to catch him. He never had any scares, no crazy chases, nothing. Maybe Iwatobi would think that Makoto was locked deep within Samezuka instead of being in the open.. “A little reverse psychology,” Rin answered, “A little teahouse is last place they would expect you.” Makoto was content with the answer, sipping at his tea. He assumably burned himself, judging on the way he jerked himself backwards with a hiss, licking his lips to tend to the wound. “Anyways, this is a safe zone. This place is used to Samezuka members,” Rin was more so reminding himself that, and he slid on his own jacket. Some places were more loyal to Iwatobi, it was a tactic to catch criminals off guard. Some stores could be trustworthy while some could not, and in the case of this teahouse, they served Samezuka regularly. The black jacket wasn’t a big deal here.

Makoto took that as his own cue to put his own jacket on, happily flattening it over his chest. “This jackets a lot thinner than my old one,” Makoto said softly.

“Well, your old one was made for combat,” Rin snorted, “And anyways, you were one of the only people who had that jacket. Actually, the only person, you had the fancy gold one.” Rin gestured to his own jacket, “Everybody in Samezuka has one of these.”

“I like it,” Makoto laughed, rolling his shoulders back to prove how fluid it was, “I don’t really think black is my color, though.”

“Really?” The steam pouring off of the rim of Rin’s cup bit at his lips as he attempted to blow it away, “That’s what you’re complaining about?”

Makoto laughed, “I think a gentle green would be better on me,” Makoto copied Rin’s movement, also blowing on his teacup, “The black and red suits you, though.”

“Colors aside,” Rin sipped at the tea, its peppery bite scorching his throat and the steam from it escaped his mouth as he took a breath, “It’s nice seeing you in it.” Makoto’s smile was small but still, it was there.

“It’s nice being here,” Makoto whispered, “I’ve never been... Well, anywhere before.” Makoto’s little grin loosened, his eyes soft with appreciation, “Thank you a lot for all of this.”

“What?” Rin snorted, “Thanks for kidnapping you? Yeah, you’re welcome. You broke like, all of my bones.”

“ _Rin!_ Don’t say it like that-!”

They shared a laugh, and Rin couldn’t help but reminisce on how nice this was. How calm he felt here with Makoto. Makoto offered up something that no one else could give him, this state of constant calamity, a warm contrast to his otherwise blazing fire.

“Rin,” Makoto asked, far after their soft chuckles had died down, “I, um, now what? What part do I play in all of this, now?”

“Whatever part you want to play,” Rin answered, “Though, I’m going to gently push you towards fighting with us. Seeing as how I’m still taking pills for my excessive leg and arm pain.” Rin grinned at Makoto’s mock offensive, though his fake grimace quickly twisted into a smile of his own.

Makoto was nodding, “I wanna get my friends back, and Sousuke,” Makoto’s confusion was clear, “For now that’s really all I know.”

 

/ **  /

 

Sei had been around all too often lately. Rin’s theory was that he was keeping Makoto on file while he moved in. Or maybe he suddenly felt the urge to eat lunch with Rin - and only Rin, no Sousuke- for the first time in years. Sei was Sousuke’s friend and Rin’s commander, never had Rin even thought about talking to him on such causal terms. Though, here he was, shoving another mouthful of cheaply made frozen yogurt down the hatch.

Makoto was still taking small portions, even though Rin made it clear he could take as much as he wanted. Though, with the appearance of some food other than bread and fruit on his plate today, Rin knew Makoto was making some sort of progress.

Ai and Momo were having the most wonderful silent conversation. After being shot with an Iwatobi dart, Momo was out for five full days, and the lag that continuous sleep normally brought was not even present on the hyper teen. He was still sunshine and rainbows, and normally at lunch he begged Makoto for more stories about missions and what it was like to be the commander of what could’ve been the most important operation in Iwatobi’s history.

It had only been a day of Makoto being out of hospital and he had already warmed up to everyone. He fit right in here. Rin had seen him helping out civilians Rin didn't even know lived in Samezuka, not only that, but Makoto also addressed them all by name.

Rin caught sight of Ai and Momo making a collaborative effort to teach Makoto sign language. Quickly, Makoto was catching on, as he did with everything else. Rin watched Makoto cautiously sign out ‘nice to meet you’ with guidance from the two younger boys. Really, all Makoto had to do was understand sign so Ai could communicate back to him in ways other than writing, but it seemed Makoto was already going the extra mile.

Rin found himself able to relax after a minute, resting his head on bent arms. His eyes fluttered, though Rin used to wish for silence he found himself loving the constant comfort that someone else was around now ever since Sousuke had left.

He was only a few seconds into comfort, peaking his eyes open as suddenly everything truly had gone silent. Makoto, sitting next to him, was suddenly stiff. The room was stiff. In the distance, Rin could heard other chatting, but his friends were completely silent. Silence wasn’t a thing that came around, not with Momo at their table.

“Rin,” Makoto said softly, his voice lowering to a wavering deepness. It was something akin to Makoto’s warning sound. Something like that but more heartfelt, more worried. It was only a push in the wrong direction. Rin followed his eyes, looking towards the television mounted to the supporting beam in the middle of the room. He always sat in full view of it, so the headline was clear.

Makoto had given him so much hope. Makoto handed him love and compassion, and now it was all fuel. Rin thought he had cleaned himself of it but now that he was seeing it , all of it and it’s cold reality, the fire burned again.

 _SAMEZUKA REBEL , YAMAZAKI SOUSUKE SCHEDULED FOR EXECUTION ,_ the headline read in big, bold letters across the screen, a female news reporter slowly coming into view from a fade transition.

Sei was on his feet- this time the entire room went silent on accord of their commanders demand. “Turn it up!” Sei demanded to whatever unseen entity controlled the television's volume.

The volume cut in, high enough to be heard clearly. “After not providing any useful information on Samezuka’s whereabouts, and the disappearance of Tachibana Makoto at the hands of the same group, Yamazaki Sousuke will be executed via gunshot wound to the head on-”

Sei was interrupting before Rin could even process it, “Two days,” Sei nearly yelled, whether he realized if he did or not. _Two days. They had two days. Sousuke had two days._

The pretty, blonde reporter was back again, along with Sousuke’s original mugshot. Rin hadn’t seen it yet, but was clearly taken before everything due to the fact that he was nearly blemish free. It was slightly blurry, one arm raised awkwardly over his head and the picture out of frame- clearly they couldn’t get him to sit still and were attempting to pin him down and somehow get a picture at the same time. His eyes wide with fear and yet his mouth open and lips curled back like a snarling dog. The only sign of injury was that one of his eyes were swollen and slightly purple, that could’ve been in whatever struggle there was to subdue him. Rin had known Sousuke wouldn’t have went easy and that's what scared Rin the most, knowing that they would only hurt him more the more he fought. Sousuke was stubborn. Sousuke was competitive. Bowing down and kissing Iwatobi’s boot was not how he would go.

“His death will be broadcasted live on most networks,” the reporter said, “Iwatobi heads say that this serves as a warning to any other rebel group out there.”

It was almost as if the reporter turned and looked right into Rin’s soul. Makoto felt it too apparently, as Rin heard the sound of Makoto’s chair quickly screeching backwards.

Rin had heard enough. He acted on instinct, the flames in his stomach unbearable, “C’mon,” Rin snapped, looking towards his other three friends. Momo looked like he was about to cry, eyes tight with what could’ve been pain, and Nitori’s confusion was clear on his face. But Makoto looked pissed. He was trying to hide it, but Rin could see the grit in his teeth. “Sei, I’m taking a copter-” Rin was already reeling backwards, ready to face Iwatobi head on. Imagining how it must feel to steal from them yet again, ending Sousuke’s fear and pain and holding this victory over Iwatobi’s heads.

“Rin, stop,” Sei’s voice was cold and cut through Rin immediately. Makoto even stopped as he pushed in his chair, just holding onto the edge of it. Sei looked heartbroken if anything, which made his next words all the more infuriating. “We can’t.”

Rin didn't hesitate- something in his throat was seizing and he wanted to get out whatever he could before he seized up - “We can,” Rin snapped, “Sousuke’s going to die, don’t you care?”

“I can go too,” Makoto’s voice was firm, but yet had the leverage of a gentle comfort, “I can get him in and out, no problem. I know Iwatobi-”

“That’s an even worse idea,” Sei was sinking back down into his chair, his head resting in his hands as if were already mourning the death. “We definitely can’t risk losing you.” Sei’s hair hung over his face, “We knew this was coming.”

Sei was sinking. Rin hated it, hated that he wasn’t doing anything but giving up the chance they had. The two day window of rescue. Before Rin could even bark back some hateful reply, Sei continued “Last time we went to Iwatobi was to get you. Nearly everyone died, and if not in Iwatobi, they died of their injuries later.”

Ai, desperately trying to angle his head to even attempt to read what Sei was saying, still looked confused. His big eyes kept flashing towards Rin in utter confusion. The entire room was silent, silent in mourning, something Rin wouldn't accept.

“But Sousuke lived,” Momo piped up, some sort of happiness running on his voice as if he was trying to pep-talk his older brother. It sounded broken though, even Momo knew once Sei had decided on something, it was pointless to try and convince him otherwise.

Sei’s laugh was cold, “Maybe that caught up to him after all these years.” Biting his lip, Sei continued, “We need to stay here. Sousuke’s fate has been decided for him.”

Sei pressed his hands flat together. His breath left him in a shaking gasp and his eyes were wide, golden pupils dancing in their whites. Sei was falling apart.

Before Rin could even dare to scream, dare to yell any insult or pathetic plea, Makoto was already walking him away, pushing Rin’s shoulders forward, out towards the door. A supportive arm around his shoulders, Makoto wrapping him in a half-hug as he calmly ushered Rin out the mess hall.

Rin’s tears were hot down his face, stinging his cheeks. It felt like the fire was trying to escape out of him somehow.

Makoto leaned in close, his breath nearly tickling Rin’s ear, “I have a plan,” Makoto whispered, “We’ll get Sousuke out.”

Rin’s breath left him in a heavy sigh, and Rin swore he could see smoke pour from his mouth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HA ya
> 
> this is turning more and more into a original story. Honestly im considering this the first draft of a original story (I actualy already have .replacment characters for everyone and everything lol) 
> 
> so! Sorry this was bad. I've had bad writers block lately. 
> 
> If you caught any big grammar / spelling errors please let me know so i can fix them!!!! <3 
> 
> thank u so much for reading!! Comments and kudos are super appreciated

**Author's Note:**

> woo i had no clue how to end this *RUBS HANDS NERVOUSLY* 
> 
> I worked kinda hard on this so like.. comments are sUPER appreciated... pls i love comments they're so nice... though I probably dont deserve them because im 99% sure this fic was shit but hey theres still a little hope in me that it was okay!!
> 
> thanks for reading !! ^v^


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